Hanging On
by xsourwolfy
Summary: Barry and Caitlin head out to meet up with friends Eddie and Iris at Eddie's cabin. On the way over, they narrowly avoid getting into an accident. Everything seems right in the world. At least, it seems to be. [AU story. Barry/Caitlin.]
1. Prologue and Chapter 1

_Author's Note: This story idea has been on my mind for years. I have tried to write it with two different fandoms and two different pairings but neither of the stories ever got fleshed out or finished. Now, I am rebooting it for a **third** time with Snowbarry. Fingers crossed that I will actually get to finish it this time! I am including chapter one with the prologue instead of breaking them into two separate parts. Enjoy!_

 _Prologue_

Dark cerulean streaks of the sky peeked behind heavy blankets of clouds. The gloomy weather had dramatically changed throughout the day, ripping the sunny summer day from everyone's minds. As the rain sloshed against the windshield, the wipers worked frantically against the glass and the confused brunette at the wheel paid great attention to the road ahead. While the thunderstorm and downpour was a major problem, Barry had managed to get lost on the twisted mountain road, the length winding in different directions.

"I think we were supposed to turn back there." Caitlin informed Barry, her eyes glued to the map in her hands.

Barry took a quick glance at the woman, a small laugh tumbled off his lips. "You couldn't have told me a few moments ago?"

"All the rain and the sloshing is making it difficult to concentrate. I can barely see here, too." Caitlin motioned towards the dim light on the ceiling of the SUV.

Barry shook his head. "That's why they invented a GPS system." He tapped on it with his fingertip.

"To my calculations, the rain probably fried the processor a half hour ago." Caitlin responded, her lips curving into a frown.

"Maybe you'll have better luck if you climbed into the back and turned both the lights on." Barry suggested, knowing the ride was probably smoother back there too.

"But I like staying up here with you." Caitlin protested. "I'll be fine." She scrambled to contain the map from spilling out any further onto her lap, eyes narrowed as she tried to pinpoint their location.

"I need directions, babe. You're my only hope." Barry responded, glancing back to her.

Caitlin's eyes met his momentarily and she melted inside, a sigh fell from her chest. "I'll do this for you then. But, you owe me." She teased gently, her eyebrows elevating as a smile painted across her lips.

"Anything you want." Barry promised. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She answered.

Barry could've been lost in her eyes forever if he had allowed himself to be. Caitlin Snow was everything Barry had ever wanted, ever needed, ever desired. She made life worth living, even when it got tough. His heart began to race at the thought, sage orbs washing into caramel hues. Finally, he tore his gaze and focused on the stretch of road ahead. He brought a hand to her knee, gently squeezing it in a loving manner.

Caitlin climbed into the back of the SUV, dragging the map along with her. She scanned the parchment, searching for their location. After a moment, she placed a fingertip on the spot and slid it backward slightly. "You can make a u-turn ahead. Then we'll be back on track once we hit the five mile mark." She inhaled sharply. "Once we hit that mark we take a right and follow that road. We'll get there in about, a half hour, give or take." She made an estimation.

"Sounds good to me." Barry smiled, glancing at his girlfriend in the rear view mirror. However, her delighted features quickly changed to that of horror, her soft eyes glossed over with fear. Barry's brow crinkled to this, confusion masking his entire face.

"Barry! Look out!" Caitlin yelled.

Barry tore his gaze from Caitlin's and his emerald hues widened at the massive headlights charging right towards them. For the first time in his life, Barry Allen froze, petrified with fear. His face ghosted, a pale white flushing every peach color away. That's when he heard Caitlin's scream and the loud horn from the semi-truck blaring, painfully intrusive to his eardrums. Grasping the wheel, Barry took a sharp turn. The tires made a sickening screech from the wet asphalt, deafening the brunette while he veered the SUV off the road. It took a plunge and Barry braced himself for any contact that was about to happen. In that moment, lightning struck and cracked at the earth near the SUV.

 _CHAPTER ONE_

Caitlin had taken shelter in the back of the vehicle when the car had swerved to avoid getting hit. As the vehicle bumped along the rocky earth and came to a screeching halt, she inhaled and exhaled in a rapid fashion. Her eyes darted around in every direction, her hands gently ran down her form, she was making sure she was okay. Promptly, her attention turned to Barry and she noted his head sitting upon the steering wheel.

"Barry!" She exclaimed, climbing back into the front seat. Lifting his head carefully, she watched as he blinked slowly. A small cut was on the top of his forehead so Caitlin fished out the first aid kit. Popping it open, she brought a small piece of gauze and an alcohol wipe.

Barry groaned with a small sigh. "Did that—really just happen?"

"Yep." Was all Caitlin replied with. She tore open the wipe and carefully cleaned the wound before placing the gauze above the cut. Searching for a band aid, she ripped that open and placed it over the gauze. She wasted no time in checking his eyes with the mini flashlight on her keychain. Both his eyes were fine and she took a deep breath, relief filling her body.

"I'm fine." Barry insisted, his hands both reaching to grab a gentle hold of Caitlin's face. "Are you?"

Caitlin nodded her head a small fraction. She didn't speak. Hot tears pricked her eyes before they ran astray down her cheeks. Barry was quick to wipe them away with his thumbs. He brought his forehead to hers and held her there, his gaze intense but gentle. "We're both fine." He tried to reassure her.

"Yeah," Caitlin quietly agreed, her own hands reaching for the sides of his face. She brought her lips to his in a delicate kiss. Once she pulled away, she sighed heavier. "We should get back on the road." She suggested. "Iris and Eddie are probably worrying about us."

Luckily for the pair, Barry had avoided the accident but had also avoided wrecking the vehicle in the trees. Nodding his head in agreement, Barry released Caitlin from his grasp. "Let me make sure everything's okay." He told her. Taking his leave from the vehicle, he went out in the pouring rain, immediately becoming drenched. He was quick to check the tires and their sturdiness, he checked the front end of the car and the back end. Letting out a sigh of relief, the contents of his stomach finally settled.

Racing back to the vehicle, Barry slammed the door shut after climbing in. "We're good." He cranked the lever and backed up the vehicle before turning it around and running it up the small slope. When they returned to the road, Barry's nerves began to race, every inch of his body alert. "A half hour?"

Caitlin nodded, placing a comforting hand upon Barry's neck. Her fingers rubbed random patterns into his skin. "Yes." She confirmed.

* * *

As the SUV roared up the road, Barry allowed it to come to a halt in the driveway of the cabin. He turned the key in the ignition, powering down the vehicle. Propping open his door, he raced through the rain to the passenger's side and helped Caitlin out of the car. "I'll get the bags." He told her, his body finally relaxing since they had made it to their destination.

Nodding her head, Caitlin ran towards the front porch, taking shelter above the rooftop from the pouring rain. Iris was there to greet her and she offered the woman a hug. "Hi! I'm sorry we're late!"

Eddie quickly walked over to the SUV and grasped one of the bags after Barry opened the trunk. "Good to see you, buddy." He promptly brought a hand to Barry's back and gave a light and friendly pat.

"You too," Barry responded, shutting the trunk once he retrieved the second bag. Both men hurried towards the cabin, placing the bags inside the doorway.

"It's really coming down out there. We were worried something happened to you guys." Eddie explained, taking a stand next to Iris before he wrapped an arm around her.

"We're fine." Barry said, looking over to Caitlin. "We got a little lost." He wasn't sure if he should worry their friends about their near death experience.

"Are you sure?" Iris questioned, concern laced on her features. "You look a little spooked."

Caitlin chuckled nervously. "We almost got into an accident."

"Semi-truck." Barry added after a pause.

Iris' eyes widened and she tore herself from Eddie's side. "Oh my god." She breathed out. She gave her best friend a hug and then offered one to Caitlin. "Why don't we help you get settled?"

Nodding her head, Caitlin walked by Barry and looped a friendly arm around Iris.

Eddie watched the two walk off while Caitlin began recounting the incident. His blue eyes swiveled over to Barry. "What do you say we get you a beer?"

"That'd be nice." Barry tried to press a grin on his face. He needed to unwind, to let his nerves settle. Despite the relief invading his gut, worry as he recounted the near accident continued to swim in the back of his mind.

* * *

Barry had taken time to admire the sounds of the rain against the glass before he'd fallen asleep. He also took the time to listen to Caitlin's steady breathing as he held her in his arms. At some point, he'd drifted off into a deep sleep. Before he knew it, the morning rays were splashing into the room and onto his face from the blinds. He moved a tired hand, feeling around the bed before he realized it was empty.

Caitlin emerged from the restroom, her hair a damp mess upon her head. She walked over to the mirror and began to run a brush through her long caramel locks. "Good morning, sleepyhead." She greeted her boyfriend, peering at him from the mirror. A grin crept upon her face, allowing her eyes to lighten a fraction in his direction. She was happy to know the both of them were okay.

"Morning," Barry mumbled, his voice full of a grogginess. Still, he prompted himself to sit up on the bed with an almost inaudible groan.

Caitlin placed her brush down after a moment and spun to face Barry. Crossing the room, she plopped down onto the bed, sitting in front of the brunette. "Did you sleep good?"

"I slept okay." He answered. Then he got a more playful look upon his face. Despite being tired, Barry always enjoyed being in Caitlin's presence.

Caitlin's eyebrows elevated. "What?" He had _that_ look on his face.

Barry smirked, tugging Caitlin into himself before he kissed her. He leaned her down onto the bed and left feathery kisses across her neck. He relished in the warmth her body radiated and let it crash over him like a tidal wave. "I bet Iris and Eddie are still asleep."

Caitlin began to giggle in response. "Come on, Barry." She tried, but failed terribly to get him to stop. Turning her head slightly, she brought her lips crashing into his.

Barry kissed her back eagerly, not giving either of them a moment to catch their breath. His hands ran up her arms and he gently pinned her hands to the mattress. A small moan escaped his lips as they continued to meld with hers. Content feelings pulsed through his veins, his hearts pace began to pick up. If it could, it would have busted out of his ribcage at the high frequency it was beating. He brought his lips back to her neck, this time in a heated manner before they came to her jawline.

That was when Iris cleared her throat. "Am I interrupting something?" She questioned, a smug smirk crossing her face.

Barry shot up and both Caitlin and Barry glanced at each other and then back to Iris. Caitlin's cheeks flushed a bright crimson, Barry's a peach color. Each of them shook their heads.

"No, no. We were just about to get up." Barry stammered, climbing out of bed.

Caitlin blinked widely a couple of times before she, too, climbed out of the bed and grasped her brush once more. She ran it through her locks again. "So, what are the plans for today?"

"Eddie wants to go kayaking." Iris told her friend. "I figure if we do this one thing for the guys, maybe we can squeeze in some girl time and go shopping one day."

Knowing the nearest vicinity to shop at was miles away, that would make an all day trip for the two women. Shopping didn't sound bad at all. Caitlin gave her friend a smile. "That sounds like a good idea."

Iris tilted her head gently. "I'll let you two get ready." She hurried off to go find Eddie.

"Kayaking?" Barry wondered, scoffing and shaking his head. "They do realize my coordination isn't the greatest, don't they?"

"It'll be fun. Consider it an adventure, even." The caramel haired woman crossed the room to place a loving kiss upon Barry's lips.

* * *

Cracking open a can of soda, Barry took a swig as he lowered his sunglasses upon his face. The storm that had wreaked havoc the night before had disappeared completely. There wasn't one single cloud in the sky, no rain in sight. Placing his drink down on the top of the SUV, Barry propped open the trunk and began helping Eddie pull the kayaks out of the vehicles. After retrieving the paddles, he placed them aside the kayaks, peering across the whitewater of the river. It was calm enough that he figured they could make an easy trip down river.

"How have things been?" Iris asked Caitlin, bringing her drink to her lips.

"Things have been good. I've been working more hours at S.T.A.R. Labs but I've been doing a whole lot more. Exciting things, really. Like creating new serums for different purposes and I even helped Cisco create a new piece of technology which can be used to scan patients for cancer." She was rambling, quite excitedly at that.

Iris laughed lightly. "You and Barry are perfect for each other. I don't understand a lot of the scientific talk."

Caitlin flushed gently. "Sorry. It's been great." She nodded her head with a chuckle. "What about you?"

"Eddie just got promoted to Captain and I've been working all _kinds_ of articles at the paper." She smiled warmly. "It's been an exciting year."

"How's married life?" Caitlin wondered.

"It's great! Eddie's husband of the year, really." Iris boasted, her eyes flicking over to her husband. "Despite his long hours, he always makes it home for dinner. Sometimes he has to leave right after but, I'm just glad we get that time together."

Nodding her head, Caitlin took a sip of her own drink. "What about your dad?"

"He's going to retire soon. I think he deserves it."

"He does," Caitlin grinned at Iris, looping a friendly arm around her friend. "He's done _a lot_ of good work." She was glad to spend time with Iris. Ever since Iris and Eddie had moved to Star City, it became a ritual for the four friends to stay in at Eddie's cabin for a few weeks each summer.

Bringing the kayaks to the edge of the water, Eddie went to collect the paddles before he handed two of them over to Barry. "We're just going to be following the river. It shouldn't get too rough out here. I just found this route in spring when Joe and I came out here for a weekend." He explained, quirking a smile onto his lips.

"Good. As you know, my coordination isn't exactly top notch. Something easy and smooth is best for all of us," Barry joked, grasping the two paddles.

Eddie waved down the two women and Iris climbed into the back of one of the kayaks. Once Eddie pushed it into the water, he climbed into the front of it.

"Your arms are so sexy, Eddie." Iris said.

Caitlin shot Barry a look, raising an eyebrow. Her lips pressed into an amused thin line.

"Stay focused." Eddie reminded his wife.

Barry helped Caitlin climb into the kayak, a small laugh escaping him. "I'm sorry this won't be as fun for you. I'm not—"

"You _are_ sexy, Barry." Caitlin whispered, pulling him in to steal a quick kiss.

"You are, Dr. Snow." Barry smiled widely before he carefully pushed the kayak into the river and climbed in. He grasped one of the paddles and began to row the kayak.

Caitlin followed Barry's movements to the best of her ability. With their movements, they steered the kayak in the right direction, following closely behind Eddie and Iris. Barry could hear Eddie cheering and Iris laughing, a grin plastered across his face. He enjoyed seeing his friends so happy together. Looking over his shoulder, he glanced at Caitlin, only to be met with a smiling face in his direction. Every single part of him hummed with happiness and Barry felt whole.

* * *

Once they got downstream, the rapids were a little harder to navigate, the water thrashing the kayaks about a little more forceful than it previously had. Eddie navigated them effortlessly without Iris. Barry, on the other hand, was having a little trouble. "To the left!" He told Caitlin.

Caitlin tried to push the kayak to the left, using all her might. After a couple of tries, they managed to row the kayak to the side indicated and towards the edge of the river. Eddie had already climbed out of his kayak and helped reel in their kayak, grasping hold of it and pushing it towards the earth. As it came into contact with the ground, Barry exited the kayak and stood firmly on the ground. "Whew!"

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Eddie asked, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Now we hike back upstream."

* * *

A harsh sizzling filled the air as Eddie placed a fresh steak upon the grill. Closing the top, he walked over and took a plop on one of the wooden chairs next to Barry. Receiving the beer from his friend, he grinned. "Thanks, man."

Barry nodded his head and looked skyward. "No problem." One of his hands rested behind his head. His free hand held onto the ice cold beer and he took a swig of the substance. "Mind if I ask you something?" His emerald eyes flung over to his friend.

"Of course." Eddie would always listen to his friend or answer any question that resided within the back of the male's mind.

"When did you know.." He trailed off before he cleared his throat. "When did you know you'd ask Iris to marry you?"

Eddie looked a little surprised by the question. "Well, to be honest, it was after a shootout downtown. One of our officers lost his life. He was younger than me, someone new on the force." The blonde began. He took a drink of his beer. "I already knew that I loved Iris but I realized that life was too short and I didn't want to go through it without marrying her. The sooner the better, in my case. I never know if the next call might be the call that takes my life." He concluded.

Barry gave him a soft smile, knowing that living as an officer was a big risk. He admired the blonde for his courage to pursue such a career. His career was much different, Barry was hardly ever in the front lines of danger. Being a forensic scientist meant that he came to the crime scene long after the crime had already taken place. He loved his work, but it wasn't threatening his life whenever he took a call.

"Why do you ask?" Eddie was curious.

Stammering a moment, Barry looked to the ground and blinked a few times before he looked back to Eddie. His palms got a little clammy and he set down the beer he'd been holding on the table between the two chairs. "I think I'm going to propose to Caitlin." He admitted, withdrawing a small box from his pocket. He lifted the black top, revealing a precious diamond ring.

Eddie's eyes lit up with excitement. "That's amazing, man." Eddie smiled from ear-to-ear.

Barry fell shy, closing the box before he placed it back into the comforts of his pocket. "I know."

Eddie rose from his seat, returning to the grill. He opened the top to check the food before grabbing the prongs and flipping the steaks over. "Perfect." The blonde's blue eyes admired the grill marks across the meat.

"Eddie?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you be my best man?" His puppy eyes fell onto his face, unknowingly. At the same time, his eyes held a gentleness to them, yet excited swirls beat within them.

"Of course, Barry. Of course." Eddie responded, delighted.

Sliding open the back door, Iris popped her head out, "Are those almost done? We just finished the potatoes."

"Almost, babe." Eddie let her know.

Barry smiled to himself, a lopsided smile at that. He had the _best_ life in entire the world.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: I should mention very quickly that in this fic Barry doesn't have superpowers. Caitlin will not be getting her powers either. I just wanted to clear that up a bit. Anyway, here is chapter two! Also, I apologize if my description or playing of pool doesn't make sense. I don't play it myself but I tried to incorporate it here by looking up what I could lol._

* * *

With Caitlin in his arms, the world felt at a standstill. Every part of him revolved around her and he was eager to soak up every part of her; her scent, the way she smiled, the way she breathed while she slept, the way she looked at him with love in her eyes. As the woman slept, he kept his arms firmly draped around her, his own breathing calm and relaxed. Wanting to wake her, he gently nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck and pressed feathery kisses onto her skin. This caused her to stir and his heart beat more erratically as nervousness flooded his core. His lips dragged upon her skin until she groaned underneath him. "Wake up," He prompted, pressing one last kiss to her ear.

"Why? What time is it?"

"It's early, I know." Barry had been up since five o'clock in the morning, making breakfast for Caitlin. He whipped up an omelet, her favorite, some bacon, hashbrowns with bell peppers and pancakes.

Peeling her eyes open, Caitlin wiped the sleep from her eyes though she was groggy. Shifting in the bed, she turned to face Barry. "What's the rush, anyway?" She asked him, curiosity dripping in her tone.

"No rush." Barry kissed her lips delicately. Gingerly, he wiped some hair from her face and pushed it behind her ear. "I made you breakfast." He added after a pause between them.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," He quirked a smile on his face, his eyes brightening at the sight of Caitlin's grin.

Pressing one last kiss to her forehead, Barry climbed out of bed and walked over to the desk. He picked up the tray the food sat upon and carried it over to her. Propping it up on the bed, Caitlin sat up and her smile grew, her dimples showing on her face. "Barry Allen, how'd I get so lucky?" She wondered aloud.

"You just did." He answered, handing her a fork and knife.

Caitlin wasted no time in cutting into the omelet and bringing it to her mouth. She chewed it around and closed her eyes, savoring the taste of the food. "There's really nothing you can't do." She had yet to find a solid piece of evidence that Barry Allen was bad at something. He continued to surprise her in the most blissful of ways.

As she polished off her dish in a peaceful silence, she brought her apple juice to her lips and took a sip. Caitlin's eyes fell upon the small table next to the bed, a little box sat idly. "Barry, what's that?" Her caramel hues swiveled up to her boyfriend who sat on the bed propped up next to her.

"Uh," His eyes flicked over to the small box where the ring sat perfectly. "Well," He began, clearing his throat. "I got you something."

"Oh?"

Scratching the back of his neck, he tried to piece together the words he wanted so desperately to tell her. His heart beat uncontrollably, his palms began to dampen with perspiration. "You see," He started. "You're so important to me, Cait. You're the one who makes me smile, makes me laugh, makes me feel _good_. I'm head over heels about you. Nothing in this world is as special as you are."

As he confessed these things, Caitlin's face grew warm, her cheeks flushing a rosy tint. She moved more of her hair behind her ear, growing sheepish almost. The thumping of her heart became a heavier rhythm, her eyes not tearing from his as they meshed perfectly in line with sage hues. Barry made her feel the same way, but she'd let him finish before she'd speak up. He was easily the best man she'd ever known, ever became involved with. She loved him more than she could describe; words were not enough to convey her love for Barry Allen.

"I love you in the kind of way that I see a future with you. I can't picture myself without you, Cait." He finished, bringing the small box to her, he popped it open, revealing the ring he'd picked out for her.

Caitlin's eyes widened as she peered down at it. It was so unexpected of Barry, and she instantly knew what he was going to ask her next. Still, she fell breathless, unable to mutter out a word. Her mouth dried slightly, in shock, she gazed back up at him with teary eyes.

"Will you marry me, Caitlin Snow?" Barry proposed, his eyes searching hers for any sign that she'd say yes.

Nodding her head rapidly, Caitlin's tears streamed down her face in joy. "Yes, yes I will."

The sheer amount of happiness Barry felt shone in his emerald eyes. He quickly wrapped his arms around his now fiancé, pulling her into a tight embrace. Kissing the side of her head a couple of times, he brought his face to hers and showered her with passionate kisses. Tearing his lips away, he kept his face in close proximity of Caitlin's. "I love you, Cait."

"I love you, too." She replied in a whisper.

Taking the ring out of the box, Barry placed it upon her finger, that wide smile still spread across his features. His own eyes teared up and he tried to blink away the tears but failed miserably. They streaked down his face, mirroring Caitlin's own teary cheeks. Barry brought another series of kisses to her lips, each one delicate but affectionate.

Unbeknownst to them, Eddie and Iris were in the doorway, Iris' face lit up ecstatic. Yet, she remained silent, basking in awe of her friends and their engagement. The other pair had seen most of the conversation between Caitlin and Barry. And without breaking up their moment too much, Eddie smoothly clapped his hands together a few times.

Caitlin looked past Barry's shoulder, she laughed mildly and released her hold on her fiancé. She walked over to Iris and looped her arms around the woman's shoulders, giving her a gracious hug. Rubbing her back marginally, she tried to blink away her own tears but they kept flowing. She was so joyous that she couldn't stop them from cascading down her porcelain cheeks. She could remember the last time she felt such excitement swell in her heart, it had been the day that Barry had proclaimed them boyfriend and girlfriend. It was on a Christmas Eve, and much like how he'd proposed, he'd given her an adoring little speech before asking her to be his.

"Congratulations," Iris said to her, almost in a whisper, a large smile stretched across her lips.

Eddie walked over to Barry and gave a firm pat on the shoulder to his friend. He didn't say a word but simply gave Barry that same smile he had the night before, his pearly teeth showing. He gave Barry a look, as if to say _way to go, man_.

* * *

Sitting atop a blanket, Caitlin gazed up at the sky, stars ablaze against the pitch black of the night. She held her legs to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them. She smiled to herself, inwardly and outwardly. She couldn't believe the man of her dreams had asked her to marry him. It was thrilling yet nerve wracking as she knew all the planning she was going to have ahead of herself. Yet, she wanted this. Caitlin wanted it more than she could've said aloud, more than she could have processed in her mind.

"Where's Cait?" Barry wondered.

"I think she's outside in the back." Iris informed the brunette.

The forensic scientist slid open the patio door and took his leave from the cabin. He strolled down the steps and spotted Caitlin sitting atop one of the blankets they had towed along with them. This was one of her favorite spots to ponder things over, or maybe it had been her favorite spot. Barry wasn't quite sure, yet he could find her there pretty often. Sitting behind her, he draped a casual arm around the woman. "Hey, you," He greeted.

Caitlin chuckled, pressing her back into his warmth. "Hey," She returned, her voice still buzzing with happiness.

"Why are you out here all alone?" He questioned, curiosity slipping into his words.

"I just wanted some time to think." Caitlin hummed.

"About what?"

"About everything." She let out a generous sigh. "I'm thinking about you and me, the planning of the wedding, who we're going to invite. It's not overwhelming but I know it's a lot of work."

"And I'll be there every step of the way to help," Barry promised, rubbing a comforting hand along Caitlin's back.

She beamed, her eyes remaining on the stars above. "I know you will." The woman breathed. "You're literally the perfect man."

Barry chuckled at her words. "I wouldn't say that."

"I would." Caitlin decided. "I want it all, too. Everything you mentioned earlier. The future? I see nothing but you in mine." She expressed, honesty shining in her admittance.

"I know," Barry confessed. "I see it in your eyes every day." And it was true. Every time he gazed into her chestnut orbs, he could see clearly how much Caitlin loved him and how much she adored him. It caused butterflies to crash in his chest, in his stomach. Yet, Barry relished in every feeling he felt when it came to Caitlin Snow. "And soon, you'll be my lady forever."

 _Forever._

When it came out of Barry's mouth, Caitlin found it felt familiar and comforting, not foreign. She could picture herself with no one else. She always spoke so highly of Barry to her friends, her parents, her colleagues. Everybody in her world knew that mister Barry Allen was the person she wanted her forever with. Nothing could ever change that.

"A forever sounds like it has such a long meaning by definition but with you, I don't think it's long enough." The woman insisted.

"Me either," The scientist agreed. "But, I'll take it." He added.

"I wouldn't trade it for anything else," Caitlin admitted.

"I can say the same thing." Barry continued to stroke her back.

She cherished the warmth that radiated throughout her being at Barry's touch. Her entire core felt at ease, as if she were in a tranquil state of mind whenever he was around. She felt as though she could see clearer, think less intensely. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For everything that you bring to my life," The brunette mused.

"Thank you, too." Barry pointed out, bringing a kiss to the back of her head. His gaze turned skyward as well. He saw a small flash light up the night, a comet passing by. That's when he made a wish.

 _I wish to love Caitlin for the rest of my life._

* * *

"Okay, we're heading out!" Iris called to her husband, the morning sun shining through the opened cabin door.

"See you later, honey." Eddie waved at both the women. They were leaving to go shopping, just like Iris had promised Caitlin.

"So, a few games of pool sound good?" Barry suggested.

"Definitely." Eddie agreed.

"Just so you're aware, I've been working on my shot and I think I may one-up you this time." Barry boasted, his lips smacking together.

"I highly doubt it, Allen." Eddie retorted. Usually, he was the winner when they played pool together. He had a sharp eye and it gave him an advantage that his coordination was also better than Barry's.

"We'll see."

Both males made their way down to the den of the cabin. A pool table sat idly in the middle of the room, a dart machine vacated a wall nearby. A small mini bar was stashed away in the corner and Barry grinned to himself. He _loved_ this part of the cabin. They had some great times in this very room and he could recall the first time he taught Caitlin how to play pool.

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

They had a bit too much to drink and it showed. Caitlin's eyes were dilated, Barry's too, but they both laughed upon the stools they sat. She placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to steady herself against her boyfriend.

"Where do you come up with these jokes?" She wondered.

"The guys at work." Barry simply stated.

" _They're terrible."_ The doctor quickly responded, taking another sip of her martini.

"You just don't have a sense of humor," Barry teased her.

Her mouth sat agape, "I do so!" She protest, lightly smacking the male on the shoulder.

"I'm kidding." Barry laughed harder, enjoying the way she protest and how it stirred the other brunette whenever he teased her about things like that.

"Some jokes are just too irrational." Caitlin responded.

This caused Barry to laugh more, he had trouble breathing at this point. "Okay, no more bad jokes or puns. I mean it."

"Good," The woman shook her head, polishing off her martini.

"Wanna play a round of pool?"

"Me? Play pool?" She shook her head a second time.

"Why not?"

"I don't even know how to play pool." Caitlin admitted.

"Please," Barry coaxed her, putting on his best puppy dog face. "I'll make it worth your while."

"And how do you intend on doing that?" She questioned him, her brows elevating with interest.

"I'll take you to one of the greatest science museums in the country."

She pursed her lips briefly, chewing over the thought in her mind. "Fine," She finally caved. "We'll play a round of pool."

Barry brought his arm up and bent it downward at the elbow in a fashion of celebration. "Cha-ching!"

Caitlin merely rolled her eyes with a scoff and a chuckle. "Well? Don't make me change my mind."

Barry grasped hold of her hand and walked her towards the pool table. He began collecting the balls and brought over the triangular bracket, shaping the balls perfectly inside. Despite being a little tipsy, he was still in control of his coordination enough to do this. Yet, even sober, sometimes Barry was as clumsy as they came. After forming the triangle of balls, he removed the bracket and set it aside. He grasped two pool sticks off the wall. Passing one to Caitlin, he took hold of the cue ball.

"So, now what?"

"We take this ball." Barry grabbed the cue ball. "We line it up and we strike at the other balls." He simply instructed. "Once we pocket one, one person plays stripes and the other person plays colors. Whoever pockets all their balls and the eight ball first wins. However, if you pocket the eight ball before you pocket the other balls, you lose."

He made it sound very black and white and Caitlin nodded in understanding. "Who goes first then?"

"You can."

Shaking her head generously, she let out another small laugh. "Why don't you show me how it's done?"

Barry shrugged his shoulders. "Okay." With that, he took his cue stick, lined it up and brought it crashing into the white cue ball, watching as it broke the balls and they spun around the table. He pocketed a striped ball and turned to face Caitlin. "I guess I'm stripes."

"So, I'm colors?" She tilted her head, the martinis were definitely getting to her.

"Mhm."

She walked over to the table and lined up her stick, however, she took aim and tried to charge the stick forward, failing at hitting the cue ball. Barry paced over to his girlfriend and grasped hold of her arms, helping her steady her aim on the table and with one swift movement, he plunged her other arm forward and watched the stick crack against the cue ball. "Just like that."

* * *

As Eddie broke the straightened balls, he banked a colored ball and a striped ball. "Stripes it is."

Barry simply smiled generously, the memory of Caitlin's face burning in the back of his mind.

"What?" Eddie was confused by the smile gracing Barry's lips.

"Nothing, nothing. Let's just play."


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: Here's chapter 3! I hope some questions were answered. I have a few more chapters already written out as I'm working mostly on this story at the moment. I'll be posting them within the next few days possibly. I hope this is an enjoyable read! I also want to note that flashbacks are definitely going to be a thing with this fiction, there will be many of them. They'll kind of fill in some of the blanks as the actual story goes on. Reviews are welcome, as always. Thanks :)_

* * *

After spending the entire day with Iris, Caitlin was glad to return to the cabin and be in the presence of her fiancé. It wasn't that she didn't like Iris, Caitlin considered the girl one of her good friends. The fact was that Caitlin wanted to soak up as much time with Barry as she could while she was on her break from work. "Hey there, fiancé," She greeted, happily.

"Hello," Barry replied, opening his arms from where he sat on the recliner.

Climbing into his lap, the brunette dropped the bags she had filled with clothes onto the ground next to the chair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed her nose against his in an affectionate manner.

"Eskimo kisses?" Barry smirked.

"Yep." She grinned in response to his smirk, mirroring his bliss.

"You two are _so_ cute, I think I'm going to be sick." Iris joked, walking into the room and placing her own bags down. She crossed over to the sofa and took a plop. She brought a freehand to her long locks.

"I can't help it. I'm engaged." Barry told his best bud. "What was it like when you got engaged to Eddie?"

"We couldn't keep our hands off each other." Iris recalled, smiling at the thought.

"That's right." Eddie commented, crossing the room to bring his lips upon Iris' forehead. "Hey, beautiful. How was your trip?"

"Well, Caitlin and I shopped until we couldn't any longer. And, we got you guys a couple of things, too."

"Am I going to hate it or love it?" Eddie questioned.

"I think you'll like it." Caitlin told the blonde, giving him a small wink.

* * *

Barry hated wearing suits. It was the one thing he despised, greatly. However, when it meant he'd be having an elegant dinner with his friends and fiancé, he could tolerate it. The fact that most suits were stiff was the main reason he disliked dressing in the attire. But he had to admit that the outfit Caitlin had picked out for him was nice and he looked pretty decent in it. With the hair product in his hand, he rubbed it thoroughly in his palms, warming it up. Once the wax was warm enough, Barry applied it to his hair and began moving his fingers through his locks until he had the look he was going for. A clean and smooth look was what he wanted and he eyed himself over once more in the mirror.

Caitlin revealed herself from the restroom, her crimson dress falling perfectly over her dainty figure. Barry's eye's lightened a shade in awe, his smile stretching widely across his face; so wide, that even his eyes looked like they were smiling. "You look _amazing._ " He complimented.

"You clean up really nice yourself." Caitlin shot back almost playfully. She crossed the room to strap on her heels before she looked at her fiancé with love. "You look so handsome."

"Do I?"

"Mhm." Caitlin answered. She leaned in towards his ear and whispered, "It makes me want to take that suit right off of you."

Barry's eyebrows quirked, "Oh, really?"

"Mhm," She repeated, her own eyebrows elevating as they wiggled.

Barry mimicked this motion with a small laugh tumbling out of his mouth before he leaned in to kiss her. Placing his hands on her hips, he kissed her quite slowly, almost in a teasing manner. His tongue carefully parted her lips and he deepened the kiss they shared; again, in a teasing manner. He loved every little sound she made or movement of her body against his and he relished in the moment they shared.

* * *

As the four friends dined, laughter was shared amongst their table, smiles were given to each other, and food was deliciously devoured and enjoyed. Everything seemed to be perfect in the moment. Nothing could have made Barry happier than to spend the night with the three most important people in his life. Everything seemed so pleasant, he had forgotten all about the rest of the world as it laid in the back of his mind, not once another thought.

Eddie ordered more champagne, in celebration of Caitlin and Barr's engagement. The waiter poured more of the substance in everyone's glasses. Once they were all settled, Eddie rose his glass slightly. "To you guys, Barry and Caitlin." He smirked.

"To Barry and Caitlin," Iris agreed, lifting her own glass. She delighted in her best friend's happiness, her eyes swiveling from Barry to Caitlin.

The other pair raised their own glasses, a successful clink of each glass as they came together momentarily. Barry sipped his champagne, watching as the bubbles within the glass settled. "Thanks you guys. It means the world to me." He told the other pair, honesty in his tone of voice.

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

"To Eddie and Iris!" Barry prompted the table to clink their glasses together.

Caitlin rose her glass, cheering on the other pair as they all pressed their glasses together. "I'm excited for you two." She admitted, her eyes crinkling with happiness.

Iris brought her lips to Eddie's in a sweet and loving kiss. She returned her attention to the table and her friends. "I am, too! It's gonna be _great_." She emphasized the last of her words.

Eddie simply chuckled before placing his glass down. "And you, you get to be my best man." He pointed an index finger at Barry.

"Really?" Barry figured he would have picked someone else on the force. He stammered slightly, scoffing a broad smile onto his face. "I'd gladly accept."

Once they finished their meal, the four headed outside. Central City was cool tonight, the wind nipping Caitlin's arms. They said their goodbyes to Iris and Eddie and Barry laced his fingers with Caitlin's; interlocking their hands together. To this, he received a sweet smile from Caitlin's direction.

Barry shuffled along, peering at the ground for a second before he looked back to his significant other. "Do you uh.. do you ever think of getting married?" He wondered.

Caitlin blinked a few times, processing the question before she spoke, "I do. I think every girl dreams of being married one day, don't they?" It was cliché but she was truthful in her statement.

"I suppose so." Barry pressed his lips into a thin line. "I mean, do you seriously think about it?"

Caitlin tugged on Barry's arm, forcing him to stop in his tracks. "Are you trying to tell me something in that Barry Allen way that you do?" She quirked an eyebrow.

Barry fell sheepish. "I'm just curious."

"Curiosity isn't always a good thing, Mr. Allen." Caitlin mused, teasing him of course. She paused a moment, looking him directly in the eyes. "I do think about it. _Seriously_."

Barry felt relief wash over his form. "Me too." His hand squeezed hers.

Caitlin's eyes crinkled again, her smile wider than Barry had ever seen it. "I propose that's a good thing?"

"Yes. It is." Barry simply told her before he began walking with her through the streets of Central City once more.

* * *

"Goodnight," Barry and Caitlin told both their friends. After the pair parted ways and headed towards their own bedroom, Barry hastily closed the door and paced over to Caitlin. He caught her lips with his, bringing them crashing down in a heated manner. His body lit on fire, much like it always did when he kissed her. Yearning for the doctor, he deepened the kiss and pulled her as close to himself as physically possible. "Mmm," He groaned in pleasure as his tongue brushed hers. Caitlin shivered in response; Barry could feel it as his hands were firmly planted on her back.

Caitlin kissed him back just as eagerly, desire in her touch when her hands fell upon his shoulders. She allowed her hands to fall onto his back and they slid around to the front of his suit. She began unbuttoning it, her fingers fumbling with the material as she had trouble concentrating on the buttons as she kissed Barry. Once she pried open his jacket, she helped Barry slip it off and it fell to the floor with a small resounding plop.

Barry began to unbutton his white shirt, helping Caitlin as it was a daunting task in the moment. Their lips parted briefly but he quickly discarded the article of clothing, piling it atop the black jacket. His fingers played with the zipper along the back of her dress and carefully, he undid it. His hands roamed up towards her shoulders and he slowly pushed down the straps of her dress, his lips finding hers once more in a passionate but tender kiss.

Caitlin slid out of her dress, allowing it to hit the floor. She reached towards Barry's pants and undid the button and zipper, helping him discard the item onto the wooden floor. Her hands roamed his bare back and she lightly squealed when Barry lifted her off the floor and into his arms. He carried her over to the bed and with a plop, both their bodies landed on the mattress, Barry lying above the caramel haired woman. His eyes burned into hers and he could make out every orange fleck in her chestnut orbs. He was in love with Caitlin and he wanted every part of her.

* * *

Once they were settled in bed, Barry had scurried off to find some ice cream. It was way past midnight and he was certain his friends were already dozed off a few rooms down from his and Caitlin's. He searched the freezer and found some chunky monkey. It wasn't his favorite but it would do for now. Grasping two spoons from the drawer, Barry hurried back to the bedroom. Shutting the door behind himself, he walked over and took a plop on the bed next to his fiancé. Just thinking about that word caused him to tingle inside.

"Ice cream after sex is the _best_." Barry gleefully said.

Caitlin scooped her spoon into the container and withdrew some of the ice cream. She placed it in her mouth and allowed it to melt against her warm tongue. She chuckled a little to herself. It was some sort of ritual they had together. "I can't disagree with you there."

Barry brought his own spoon towards her lips, prompting her to eat the ice cream. Caitlin did so and Barry leaned over to press a kiss upon her lips. "You're so beautiful." He admired her, his eyes looked to her in awe.

Caitlin flushed at his words, her gaze falling from his and onto the mattress. It wasn't hard to smile around Barry. Every compliment, every look he gave her, it caused a delightful sensation to radiate from her core. She knew he was sincere in whatever he said or did and she loved that about him.

The other brunette's eyes crinkled gently, his smile broad. "You know that though, don't you?"

She nodded her head, almost bashful. Her eyes returned to his and she planted a kiss upon his cheek. Every affectionate gesture only made her heart swell with love for the man. Caitlin basked in Barry's warm heart, always admiring the man for it. "Do you remember the first time we met?"

"I'll always remember it." Barry admitted.

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

Grasping the cup of coffee, the pleasant aroma of hazelnut filled the brunette's nose. She gave a friendly wave to the barista and took her exit from Jitters. Being a doctor left little time to herself and she was running a little late. Working at S.T.A.R Labs was like a dream come true; her team of friends made the experience that much more significant.

As she strolled down the bustling street, she was unaware of the rushed male headed right in her direction. Without a moment to spare, his clumsy nature caused him to crash right into the woman. The coffee went flying into the road, creating a puddle but not before spilling all over her jacket.

"Oh, my. I am so sorry. I didn't uh, I didn't see you there." The male stammered.

"Just wonderful." The brunette sighed deeply, looking down at her ruined attire.

"I was just in a hurry and I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. I can buy you a new cup of coffee," he offered.

"No, thanks." She responded, peeling off her jacket. It was a frosty morning, the cold nipped at her nose and now her arms as they were exposed. She draped the jacket over one of her arms.

"Please." The other brunette almost begged, his green eyes pleading.

Rolling her eyes, the woman walked back towards Jitters. This guy wouldn't take no for an answer would he? The pair entered the establishment and Caitlin promptly ordered a new coffee.

Barry set his brief case atop a vacant table. "I'm really sorry about all this." He apologized.

"It's okay. It's just my luck that something like this would happen." She expressed, slight annoyance in her tone. As her coffee was given to her, Caitlin took a sip. She motioned towards his briefcase.

"What's the briefcase for?"

"Oh, uh, I'm a forensic scientist at the CCPD." Barry revealed. "It's actually my first day on the job."

Caitlin's eyebrows elevated at this. "Congratulations." She took another sip. "Thanks for the coffee," She was grateful for a new cup but disappointed about her jacket. The doctor turned to walk away, leaving the building.

Barry was quick to follow. "Hold on, wait." He prompted her to stop dead in her tracks.

"What?"

"Here. Take this." Barry took off his own jacket and placed it around her shoulders.

Caitlin nearly took a step back from the stranger, thunderstruck. She blinked a few times. "..Thanks."

"Sure." Barry offered her a sincere grin.

"What's your name?"

"Barry. You?"

"Caitlin." She motioned towards the left. "I better get to S.T.A.R Labs before I'm any later."

"Wh—what?" Barry nearly stumbled though he stood in place. "S.T.A.R Labs? As in _the_ S.T.A.R Labs?"

Caitlin nodded her head; it wasn't a shock to her. "Yes? I'm a bio-engineer and doctor."

Barry's excitement grew on his face, his eyes lighting up brightly. "What's Dr. Wells like?"

Caitlin looked perplexed at the brunette. "Why don't you stop by later and you can see for yourself?" She suggested.

"Really?"

Caitlin nodded.

"Okay. It sounds like a deal."

* * *

Guiding Barry into the lab, Caitlin motioned with her arms around the room. "This is where all the magic happens."

Barry's eyes widened in awe, his sage hues swiveled all around to take in the sights. So many times he'd dreamed of coming to S.T.A.R Labs, of meeting his idol, Dr. Wells, of getting to meet the staff who ran the laboratory. And now, his dream was becoming a reality. He looked over as a dark haired male entered the room. He was wearing some sort of device on his head, much like a virtual reality machine.

"Woah, this is _beyond_ cool." He stated.

Caitlin glanced over at the male. "This is Cisco, our mechanical engineer. He likes to tinker with devices and invents most of our gadgets."

Cisco quickly took off the virtual reality machine. "This really makes you feel like Superman." He paused and looked at Caitlin as she elevated her brows, then to Barry. "It's an x-ray machine. I've modified a virtual reality machine to allow you to see through structures you couldn't naturally see through." He simply said, shrugging his shoulders.

Caitlin pressed her lips into a thin line. Just then, another male entered the laboratory, wiping his hands with a cloth. He had some sort of soot on his face. "This is another colleague of mine. Ronnie, the structural engineer for the partic—"

"Particle accelerator." Barry finished.

"It seems you've done your homework." Dr. Wells entered the laboratory, his eyes looking over the brunette.

Barry turned to face him, struck with shock. "Well, I—I read everything you put out there. Every book, every article, all of it. I'm—I'm a big fan of your work." He stumbled over his words.

* * *

"Was it everything you hoped for?" Caitlin asked, walking Barry towards the exit of the building.

"Everything and more." He honestly replied.

Despite coffee being dumped all over her in the morning, she was glad she could make someone else's day – or probably their entire life. Caitlin propped open the door for Barry to exit. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Allen." She said her goodbye, handing him his coat that he'd lent her.

"You too." The male told her, taking his leave.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's note: I'm going to be posting both chapter 4 and 5 today. I'm currently on chapter nine of this story, so it's coming along rather nicely. I also wanted to touch on your review, **Adaline Keff**! Thank you so much for your review, I'm glad you're enjoying this story. There will be drama and angst very soon! It's been fun to write so I hope it will be just as enjoyable to read. Again, thanks for the review and to everyone else who has reviewed, I really appreciate the feedback. Without another word, here's chapter 4 and 5!_

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

It was a rainy day, the pellets of rain dampened the city, misting all of those who were in its path. The caramel haired woman darted for the bus stop, hoping she wasn't late. "Excuse me!" She told the strangers she passed by. Holding a newspaper over her head, she tried to avoid getting hit by the pellets. Of course, a newspaper wasn't sufficient enough to protect her against the continuous rain. Desperately, she came upon the bus stop, but as luck would have it, there was no shelter as everyone else waiting for the bus had taken cover under the awning and there was no more room for one last person.

Caitlin sighed deeply. She was running late, _again._

Barry strolled through the vast crowds of people, thankful to have a day off of work. He loved his new job, but it seemed having so much to do could be quite stressful. As he maneuvered through the crowds, he came upon the bus stop, eager to meet up with his friend Iris who worked across the city. He noticed a familiar face standing in the rain and quickly, he ran over to shield her with his umbrella.

"Hey, stranger," He greeted. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Caitlin raised her eyes from the ground, looking upwards at the umbrella. Relief cascaded over her form, she offered Barry a small grin. "Thanks." She motioned towards the umbrella.

They stood there in silence, not awkward just comfortable silence. Once the bus came to a halt, he motioned towards the stairs. "After you," Barry insisted, closing the umbrella.

Caitlin climbed up the steps and onto the vehicle. She greeted the familiar bus driver and looked around at the already crowded bus. Holding onto one of the poles, she stood in the center of the vehicle. Barry followed her, taking a stand next to her, glad to know someone else who would ride public transportation. It made the ride less uncomfortable as when he stood next to a complete stranger.

Even though he didn't know Caitlin much, at least he knew her name. "So, where are you headed?" He wondered, breaking the silence.

"Work." She simply stated, shaking her head slightly. "It's the second time I'm late in the last week." She was referring to the day Barry had spilled the coffee all over her.

"I'm sorry to hear that. If it makes you feel any better, I've had a ton of work to do in my first week. It seems like everyone needs something. Just one thing after another, you know?"

"I know the feeling." Caitlin answered.

Once the vehicle began to move, she felt a little more relaxed. That was, until it came to an abrupt halt, tires screeching. Caitlin nearly tumbled over, her hand slipping off the pole. She found that she grabbed right onto Barry for support, one hand firmly planted on his shoulder and the other planted right on his chest. A small gasp had escaped her lips at the sudden stopping of the bus.

Barry had instinctively held onto the woman, his eyes peering down into hers momentarily. He noticed just how chestnut her hues really were and then became quite sheepish for staring into her eyes. He quickly retracted his arm from around her form and Caitlin did much the same before grasping onto the pole with both hands this time.

She cleared her throat, her mouth oddly drying from the encounter. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Barry's cheeks had flushed and he hoped she couldn't see it.

* * *

Walking into the CCPD, Caitlin and Cisco had been called to help the brunette on a job. Naturally, Barry could handle most work himself but this job consisted of a chemical compound he had never seen before. As Caitlin rounded the corner of the building, Barry too was rounding the same corner in the opposite direction. They came face-to-face with each other, both of their eyes widening from the close proximity of their faces. Caitlin took a step back, her back pressed against the wall. He nearly tripped into her, his clumsy nature showing once more. Her eyes burned into his as she blinked rapidly.

"Oh," A breath fell from her lips.

Barry chuckled, almost amused. "We need to-to stop meeting like this." He expressed a small stutter in his words.

"I concur." Caitlin responded, smoothing out her dress in a nervous fashion. "So, how do we do that?"

Cisco walked around the other corner, prompting the pair to suddenly move far away from each other, a vast space between them. Barry scratched the back of his head.

"I think I've narrowed down the only four places the compound could have come from." Cisco stated, quite proudly at that.

Caitlin nodded her head. "Let's see it then." Abruptly, she left the scene behind, trying not to think too much of it.

Cisco began talking rapidly, leading the pair up the stairs towards Barry's lab as he spoke.

Barry's eyes lingered on Caitlin's back as they climbed. Again, his cheeks flushed a crimson color. He didn't mind the encounters they were beginning to share, more frequently, but it had his mind racing a hundred miles per hour. He couldn't concentrate on much of anything else after each encounter which caused him to become nervous around Caitlin.

* * *

After Cisco had left, Barry looked over to Caitlin before she could depart. "Caitlin, wait." He got her attention. Quickly, he scribbled down on a piece of paper. Walking over to the brunette, he handed it to her. "Here. It's my number."

"Why are you giving me this?" She received the parchment and peered down at the numbers.

"So that we can run into each other without, you know, actually running _into_ each other." He grinned.

"You want us to spend time together? Outside of work?" Occasionally, she was seeing more of Barry as the CCPD called in her and Cisco from time-to-time.

"Yeah. Maybe we could grab a bite to eat or catch a movie." Barry explained.

"Oh," She nodded her head. "Okay. Maybe we could do that." She enjoyed their scientific talks, the depths they would get into as they spoke. She didn't mind spending time with Barry. Inwardly, she almost melted in delight.

"See you around?"

"Definitely." Spinning on her heel, she took her leave.

* * *

Playing the board game, Barry rolled the dice and then moved his piece eight spaces. "It looks like you owe me some money, Iris." He teased, sitting forward on the sofa.

Iris shook her head and handed Barry the fake money. "How is it that you own almost all the properties?"

Barry shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I'm just good at Monopoly." He bragged.

Caitlin bumped into him with her shoulder playfully. "There's no need to boast about it."

"Hey, you would too if it was one of the only things you were decent at." Barry reminded her.

Eddie returned from the kitchen, handing Barry a beer and the women each a glass of wine. "So, you just bought Oriental Avenue, too?"

"You are correct, my friend."

Eddie sighed. He had the other two properties but now he was going to have to barter with Barry to get the last one.

"I'm nearly bankrupt." Eddie told the brunette.

"Sucks to be you." Barry laughed, teasing Eddie of course while retrieving the beer from the blonde.

"Besides, Caitlin's stuck in jail." Eddie looked down at the pieces.

Caitlin placed her fake money down on the table. "Is it necessary to keep playing? We already know who won." She looked over to Barry with her brown eyes.

"I call it quits." Iris agreed.

Barry laughed lightly. "Okay. We can stop." He began collecting the fake money from everyone and put it away in the box. Both pairs began to clean up the game and the pieces.

"Movie time?" Eddie asked the others.

"Movie time." The three said in unison.

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

Barry had insisted on seeing a sci-fi flick. Caitlin disagreed but eventually caved. Cisco always enjoyed dragging Caitlin to a sci-fi movie or an action movie about superheroes. She had probably seen enough for a lifetime. Still, she couldn't say no to Barry. She wanted to get to know him better outside of work or the crazy run-ins they continued to have.

"Come on, you have to admit that the scientists in space were awesome." Barry tried.

"Setting off a nuclear explosion in space would be catastrophic. It would ruin our solar system." Caitlin argued, shaking her head.

"Yeah, but they did it to save the world."

"From an overgrown creature that somehow managed to come out of the sea. Don't you think that if something like that existed, we'd know already?"

"It's a movie, Cait. Not reality." Barry chuckled.

 _Cait?_ That was a new one. She let out a small laugh. "Next time, I'm picking the movie."

"As long as it isn't some chick flick." Barry slightly protested.

"I was thinking along the lines of suspense or thriller. Maybe even horror."

"You like those kinds of movies?" Barry's eyebrows shot up.

She nodded her head before sipping on her soda. "They're far more interesting and intense."

"Why do you dislike sci-fi so much?"

"Cisco has me watch it religiously." She revealed.

"Ohhh," It now made sense to him. "Well, thank you for tolerating it enough to come out with me."

Peering at Barry, she gave him a small grin. "Okay, it wasn't that bad. I was in good company. That makes up for the movie."

Barry's eyes twinkled in her direction. "You think so?"

She nodded her head.

Barry grabbed hold of her arm, prompting her to stop in her tracks.

"What?" Confusion swept across her face, shone in her eyes.

"Did you really like being in my company though?"

"I did." She responded quite honestly. It was nice to get away from a work setting.

"I liked being in yours too."

Caitlin's cheeks were warm and she could feel herself blushing. Before she could say another word, Barry was moving in ever so slowly, his face coming into close proximity to hers. Inwardly, she panicked, unsure of what to say or what to do. Caitlin froze up, however, her eyes acted instinctively and she snapped them shut, waiting for his lips to meet hers. As their noses brushed, butterflies in her stomach erupted, a sensation she couldn't quite remember having before. When their lips met, those butterflies turned into giant bats, thrashing about at her ribcage, causing her heart to race.

Barry held his lips upon hers for a moment, enjoying the pleasant feeling that rushed over him like a tidal wave. Finally, he parted from her, his eyes crinkling with a broad grin falling upon his face. That comfortable silence swirled around the pair, not awkward, just quiet. It had taken a lot of courage for Barry to kiss Caitlin, his entire being was inwardly a shaking mess of nervousness.

"..Was this a.. date?" Caitlin wondered.

Barry's eyes lit up. "I think it was."

Caitlin looked to the ground.

"Why? Did you not—not like it?" Barry stuttered, his nervousness now outwardly showing.

"No. No. I didn't say that." Caitlin's gaze rose to meet his. "I just wasn't expecting it." She allowed a smile to grace her face.

"I wasn't expecting it either. It just.. happened." Barry admitted, a stray hand finding its way to his neck.

Caitlin peered up at him, noting how nervous he actually seemed. She took the initiative to kiss him herself and brought herself to her tiptoes, bringing a gentle kiss to his lips. Much like before, the butterflies invaded her stomach and she found herself melting from the contact.

Every nervous beat that wracked Barry's bones, invaded his bloodstream, shot through his veins simply vanished from her kiss. He kissed her back, moving the stray hand from behind his neck to the back of her head. Holding her there momentarily, his nervousness became joy and he settled against her, no longer a pang of worry in the back of his mind.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Really quickly, I want to mention that not only does this fiction have flashbacks but it also includes flash forwards! That's basically the present time but we're forwarding through some of the time here and there to get more to the point of the story. I hope that makes sense._

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

Caitlin Snow had learned Barry's typical work schedule by now. After being called into the CCPD more than a handful of times, she had begun to see a pattern as to when he was home and when he wasn't. They had gone on three dates within the last three weeks and all three dates had been enjoyable and fun. She kept thinking about him even when she told herself not to. She kept wondering if he was doing the same thing, though she had never asked him. She had walked him home once and he had walked her home twice. Coming upon his apartment complex, she willed herself the power to trudge onward towards his building.

Those bats that filled her stomach around Barry were present again, as she knew what she was about to do despite Barry not being home. Caitlin's legs were wobbly though they carried her fine. Her palms were damp with sweat, her lips curving into a slight cringe. She needed to get this over with, to release the overwhelming bats within so she could finally feel relieved. Slowly, she came upon the building and the staircase leading towards Barry's apartment. With each step looming ahead, she climbed the stairs almost hesitantly. As her destination was one last step away, she paused. Maybe she should just turn back or go home.

 _No_. She had to continue on, no matter how nervous she was. _What am I doing?_ She wondered, _Why am I here? I should be at home enjoying the day off._ Despite everything in her bones telling her to stay and continue on, a part of her wanted to run away as fast as she possibly could. She had never had these intense feelings while being around another man. And sometimes, they scared her since she didn't know what to do with them or about them. Whatever the case, she had willed herself enough power to make it to his apartment so she needed desperately to follow through with her plan.

She didn't knock. She didn't make her presence known. She stood before the door in silence, counting down in her head the minutes she spent there. At least ten passed before she finally got the courage to speak, loud enough as if he were standing before her. "Barry, I know you're not home right now. I know you're busy at work, which is where I need you to be. I don't know how to put this exactly; I don't know how to say it." She paused, looking down at her feet. "But, I _really_ like you. And I really like the time we've been spending together, even if the movies we've seen have all been a bust." She went on, "Being around you makes me feel something that I've never felt before. It's like these bats live inside my stomach and they only come out when you're around. I can't stop thinking about you, either. You're always on my mind. It's a constant battle for me to not think about you in some way. I know it's only been three dates, it shouldn't feel the way it feels but I can't control it. It's just there."

She let out a content sigh. "I wonder if you think about me too. If this is something you've enjoyed as much as I have. If not, that's fine. I just needed to get all of this off my chest." Relief flooded her insides. "I think I have so.. I'm going to go now. I'll talk to you later." She took her leave, beginning down the steps. That was when the front door cracked open.

"Cait." Barry called out to her.

Caitlin froze, petrified. Turning to face Barry, she swallowed a thick lump down her throat. "Yeah?"

Barry was home. He had heard every single word she'd said as he was catching up on the local newspaper while sitting in his kitchen. "I just heard everything you said." He revealed, blinking a couple of times. He let a pause wash over them. "Did you really mean that?"

Caitlin's face ghosted. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, yes. I did." She clarified.

Barry's eyebrows elevated, his brows knitting together. He didn't quite know what to say or what to think but he wanted to spill his guts and tell her that he couldn't stop thinking about her either. She was a constant thought in the forefront of his mind. His nerves pulsed within him, causing that painfully nervous feeling to consume him as it did in her presence. Carefully, he walked down the few steps she had, meeting her on the step above. He reached for her hand and took it into his before gingerly placing a kiss atop her head. "Why don't you come inside for a while? Hm?"

She shut her eyes briefly when he planted a kiss on her head. Nodding gently, she agreed to visit with him, "That sounds good."

* * *

 ** _PRESENT TWO WEEKS LATER_**

Caitlin grasped onto Iris and gave her one last warm hug. "It was really nice seeing you guys." She told her friend.

Barry gave a hug to Eddie, patting him on the back. "We'll have to get together more often." He expressed, wanting to see his friend more frequently.

After releasing Eddie, Barry gave Iris a tight hug, "It was awesome to see you, as always."

Iris smiled widely. "You too, Barry." She gave a tight squeeze to her best friend before releasing him. "You two drive safe, okay? Let me know when you make it back home."

"You too." Caitlin commented, giving one last smile to both Eddie and Iris.

* * *

 ** _PRESENT ONE MONTH LATER_**

Sitting in Barry's lap, Caitlin flipped through the wedding magazine. She had collected a stack of different magazines and they sat on the small coffee table, a few of them splayed out. Having time off work together was rare, it was the only time they'd have to plan the wedding. Flipping through the pages, Caitlin's caramel hues darted across different displays of dresses, bridesmaid dresses, cakes, and the grooms suits. She pressed her back into Barry, his arms looped around her comfortably as he also peered at the magazine.

"Oh, I like that one." He pointed towards a lavender dress. He could picture the bridesmaids wearing it.

"That one is nice." She agreed. "I like the color." Caitlin added after a beat between them.

Barry rubbed her back lovingly. "What about the trim on the dress?"

"It's a little too lacey for my liking but it's more important if the girls like it." She commented, folding the corner of the paper to keep it to look at in the future.

"What did Iris say?"

"About being my maid of honor?"

"Mhm," Barry pressed a kiss into her shoulder.

"She was delighted." Caitlin said, smiling at the thought. "She already has ideas for a bridal shower."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll go all out." Barry let out a small laugh.

Caitlin turned her head to kiss Barry's forehead. "What about you? Who else are you going to ask to be your groomsmen?"

"I was thinking of asking Cisco, Joe, of course, and maybe Dr. Wells?"

Caitlin beamed at him, happy that he was involving some of her friends too. "Cisco would be there in a heartbeat."

"Who are your other bridesmaids?"

"Just some girls I grew up with. I'll introduce you to them next time they're in town." She promised. Caitlin didn't talk to many of her friends from across country but when they learned of her engagement, she had reconnected with her few friends. Iris had really been her only gal pal in Central City until she and Eddie moved away. "Do you think Felicity would come?"

"I'd say she would." Barry liked Felicity. She was one of his good friends and he enjoyed her banter with Cisco whenever she was in Central City.

"Okay, I'll ask her tomorrow." Caitlin pressed another kiss to his forehead. She was in an affectionate mood and she placed her head against his.

"What kind of cake do you want?" Barry questioned.

"Devil's food." Caitlin was quick to answer.

"Mmm," Barry shut his eyes, imagining the cake. He rubbed her back more, massaging it.

"We should work on the invitations." Caitlin prompted, flipping through the pages towards the examples of invitations.

"I like this one." Barry pointed out.

"I like this one." Caitlin replied, pointing at a different invitation. She looked in his eyes, wondering if they'd have a petty argument over this.

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

"We should definitely go for the apartment on the west side of town. It's close to work for the both of us. I think it's in a prime location to go downtown too. We could go out to eat, go to the movies, whatever we wanted to do." Barry explained, his eyes soft in suggestion.

"But I like the loft in the center of the city better. It might not be convenient for work but it's got an open floorplan." Caitlin shot back.

"I like the open layout too but I think it'd be better to have the apartment."

"Moving furniture up four flights of stairs isn't going to be easy." She protested, shaking her head a fraction, her locks moving with the movement.

"Babe, I promise it would be worthwhile."

"No. I don't want it." She wasn't about to cave. "I want the loft."

Barry sighed, "Why do you have to be so difficult?"

"Difficult? You think I'm being difficult?" Caitlin's eyebrows shot up. "That's new."

"I just mean that we shouldn't be arguing over this."

"This is not an argument. I just don't agree on the apartment." She tried.

"Let's call it even then and take the apartment while you can pick out the furniture."

"No! The apartment is too cramped and despite its location, I just don't like it." Caitlin simply expressed, abrupt in her opinion.

Barry ran his hands over his face before they went through his hair. "Alright. What do you expect from me, Caitlin? You're on my back about work and now you're on my back about this."

"What do you mean 'I'm on your back about work'?"

"The times we can't go out, you get out of shape with me." He pointed out.

Her mouth sat agape. "I can't believe you just said that."

"What?" Barry threw his arms outward.

"This isn't the first time you've said something negative about me." She reminded him, pressing her lips into a thin line. "If you have to keep pointing out my flaws, maybe this isn't meant to be, Barry."

Guilt washed over Barry instantly, his heart breaking a little at what she'd said. He looked downward, knowing the situation was getting out of hand even though it felt as though Caitlin was being a little dramatic. "Do you really feel that way?" She was right, Barry had picked at other flaws Caitlin had previously. Like the time her mother had come to visit and Barry felt as though their relationship was a little too much. He had called her out on how weird it felt, how uncomfortable she seemed and that had set her ablaze.

Caitlin stammered, "I—I don't know." Her lip quivered in uncertainty.

Barry gave her puppy dog eyes, his eyebrows elevating. "This is ridiculous, Cait. It's just an apartment location."

"Don't give me that look, Barry." She pleaded, taking a step away from him. "It may have started out that way but now it's become something else." She inhaled sharply. Moving to collect her purse, Caitlin knew they had little instances where a small petty argument had turned into a bigger blowout. She wanted to avoid that. "I'm going out for a little while."

"Wait," Barry went to grab her arm. "I just don't like feeling manipulated into something."

"Manipulated?!" Caitlin barked in shock. She yanked away. "Don't." She warned. Caitlin didn't want to feel like he had something negative to say to her whenever they disagreed. She didn't want to feel upset over something trivial and yet she did. "Just leave me alone," She added, exiting his home with a loud slam. Tears began to stream down her face; she couldn't believe Barry at times.

Barry scratched the back of his neck, shutting his eyes. Exhaling slowly, he tried to remain calm but found it difficult. Strolling over to the sofa, he took a small plop on it, knowing he'd said the absolute wrong thing over something that had been nothing. How would he make it right?

* * *

Caitlin couldn't stay at his place, not tonight. She had wandered the streets for over an hour before she finally headed home. Her phone rang on more than one occasion, but she didn't bother to look at it, knowing it was Barry. Was she really manipulative? She didn't feel like she was. She just wanted the loft since it had the kitchen she wanted, the open layout and the vaulted ceilings; all things that left her in awe with the potential home for the pair. Before she could settle into bed after changing into her pajamas, there was a faint knock on her door. Caitlin already suspected who it was but she humored herself and checked the peep hole. Of course Barry was standing out there, quite awkwardly it seemed.

Inhaling for a moment, she focused on her breath before opening the door a fraction. "What?" He obviously wasn't going to leave her alone.

"Cait, I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said. I don't think you're—manipulative. It just came out." Barry tried to apologize.

"I really don't want to hear it." She brought a palm into a stop sign, signaling for him to just drop it.

"I'm serious. I didn't mean it."

"Whether you meant it or not, it was still said. I can't accept your apology right now, Barry." Her heart shattered, causing her to inwardly cry. She blinked heated tears away from her eyes. "I just want to be left alone for a while, okay? Please."

"But I—" He stammered, his eyes shining with honesty.

She wanted to believe him but she couldn't. "What's done is done. What was said is already out there. It can't be taken back." Caitlin argued. "Please, don't call me. Don't show up at my home or my work. Just leave me alone for a while."

Barry's own eyes welled up and he allowed a stray tear to run down his cheek. "Okay." He agreed, his voice small but filled with sadness. He gave her one last look before spinning on his heel. As he climbed down the stairs of her apartment, he rounded the corner and Barry began to fall apart. He leaned his back into the brick of the building before sliding down it as tears freely flowed down his fair cheeks. Sobbing, he brought his hands to his head, giving himself a moment to wallow in his despair. Nobody was perfect, Barry knew that and he knew Caitlin knew that, but he felt awful for slipping up and saying what he had.

* * *

Back in the loft, the pair finally reached agreement. "Okay, we'll choose this one." Caitlin stated, pointing to Barry's choice. The invitation was black but was done in an elegant cursive font. It had a white bow on the top and looked beautiful in contrast to the black. It was simple but gorgeous. "I kind of like it too."

Barry's eyes crinkled as he beamed. "Awesome."


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: Thanks for the feedback guys! I'm glad the story is enjoyable so far. **ShanouNash,** I took your advice and changed the way the present timeline is worked out. To be clear, there is only the present time and the flashbacks lol. In the present time, it will now indicate when time jumps ahead by saying, for example; **PRESENT TWO MONTHS LATER**. I hope this makes more sense, because there will be time jumps here and there, mainly skipping some parts of the wedding planning and whatnot. I noticed there are more flashbacks than there are time jumps so, there's that, too. Also, things are about to get a little intense for Snowbarry, just a warning. I'm currently on chapter nine so things are definitely coming along but I won't bore you anymore with details. As always, thanks for reading, I hope you like this one!_

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

"I don't know how to reach her, Iris." Barry confided in his best friend. He had driven ten hours through the night just to make it to Star City before Iris got to work. They were watching the sun rise together, his eyes staying on the horizon as they stood on the rooftop of the building where Iris worked. "She's just not there anymore. I know what I said was wrong but she's not Caitlin. She's this different person." He concluded with a quiver in his voice.

"You have to deal with the consequences, Barry. There's no way around it." Iris said, giving her friend a frown.

"How? I can't stop playing it over in my head." The frown etched on his face was vast.

"Let time run its course. She'll find her way back to you if she truly loves you." Iris explained, looping an arm around Barry as they stood side by side. She gave him a sincere squeeze.

"Time? What is that supposed to do?"

"She asked for space, right? So give her that. Let her be her own person for a little while and she'll eventually be lead right back to you." Iris had her fair share of moments with Eddie but they always wound up right back where they started; in each other's arms. "It might hurt now but you have to be yourself too. You have to give yourself time too." She reminded the brunette.

Barry looked over to Iris, tearing his eyes from the sunrise. They met hers and they swam against her chocolate hues. "You really think so?"

"I know so." Iris stated, giving him another squeeze. "Now come here." She prompted, opening both arms to signal an embrace. Once Barry hugged her, she wrapped her arms tightly around the brunette, holding him there for a good moment. "You're a good person, Barry. We all make mistakes. Caitlin will see that in time. She knows your heart better than _anyone_ else. I know she'll come right back to you." Iris hoped her explanation was enough to bring her friend around.

"I can always count on you, Iris." Barry hugged her tighter. "Thank you."

"Hey, anytime you need a pep talk, you know I'm right there." She promised sincerely, releasing him from there hug. Her hands ran down his arms in a comforting manner. "Why don't you stay a few days? Spend some time with me and Eddie?"

"I wouldn't be intruding?"

"Barry, don't be silly. We love having you over." Iris insisted.

"As long as I'm not a bother." It was obvious that Barry was being hard on himself and that he was down in the dumps.

"Never." Iris shook her head.

* * *

As Barry made his way towards Jitters, he noticed a familiar face among the sea of strangers. Once his eyes met hers, he halted in his tracks; frozen by the sight of her. He hadn't seen Caitlin in months as she had avoided him at every cost. It showed on his face, stubble had grown along his face and he looked disheveled, his hair a mess atop his head. He lost his breath at the sight of her, watching as she peered right back at him against the crowd. Barry felt his gut swell with disappointment, knowing she would probably turn and walk away. He had called her a hundred times, left flowers at her work, and tried visiting her apartment. He never got an answer or even a text back in response. When Caitlin said she wanted space, she really meant it.

At first, Barry kept his promise and left her to herself. After a while, he tried desperately to talk to her or apologize but every time, he failed. It felt like he was moving in reverse most days, like everything in his life had turned upside down. As emerald stared into chestnut hues at the distance, he saw Caitlin quickly tear her gaze. Barry's own gaze faltered and he looked to the sidewalk. When would it change? Iris said to give it time and he felt he'd given it adequate time.

Caitlin took the initiative to walk right through the crowd and brush right by Barry. She kept her head low, her gaze fixed on the ground. Her heart stopped for a moment and she felt like she was suffocating on the oxygen invading her lungs. Hurrying, she rounded the corner and finally slowed her steps as she continued on towards S.T.A.R Labs. She couldn't face Barry, not yet. She still needed time. Breathing in and breathing out, her memory began to recollect bits and pieces of their seemingly perfect relationship and how it had all fallen apart.

* * *

Weeks turned into months again and Barry was certain it was over between him and Caitlin. His stubble had grown into a light beard, his hair never fixed upon his head unless he headed into work. As he maneuvered through the crowd of people, he came upon one of their favorite restaurants, his heart cracking at the sight of the small Italian diner. Stopping in his tracks, Barry peered through the window and caught a glimpse of Caitlin eating dinner. Why was she there? It had been _their_ special spot.

Walking another step forward, green eyes peered in to see Ronnie sitting across the table from Caitlin. Barry's mouth dried and he pressed his lips into a thin line. Anger bubbled beneath the surface in his veins, shooting right to his head as he suddenly felt hot. His eyes turned into daggers and he hastily walked into the establishment, walking right by one of the workers without a care.

"Sir, you can't come in here without a reservation." The man said, puzzled.

Barry walked right over to the table where Ronnie and Caitlin dined. "What do you think you're doing?" He spat, looking from Caitlin to Ronnie.

Ronnie glanced up and so did the brunette. Her eyes widened marginally. It was the first time she'd seen him since they crossed paths by Jitters months ago. It had been nearly a year since she'd spoken to Barry. She couldn't believe he would waltz right into the restaurant and interrupt her dinner. She didn't say a word; she simply stared at him in utter shock.

"Would you like to tell me?" He looked to Ronnie.

Ronnie stammered slightly until he placed his napkin down. "It's just dinner."

"Just dinner? Right." Barry's anger was beginning to spill out.

"Calm down." Ronnie said after an awkward pause.

The tension between the two men worried Caitlin. She didn't speak, almost afraid to. That was when Barry lunged right at Ronnie and tackled him out of his seat. Caitlin rose from her own seat, gasping and taking a step back from the table. Ronnie was stronger than Barry and it was easy for him to shove Barry off of him. Once they scrambled to their feet, Barry took a swing at Ronnie, hitting him right in the jaw.

Ronnie grabbed his face. "What the hell?" His eyes narrowed at Barry. "What are you doing?"

Two of the workers came to collect Barry, each of them hoisting him away from Ronnie by the arms. They took him to the door and literally tossed him out of the establishment. Barry rolled onto the pavement. "Damn it," He cursed under his breath.

"I'm sorry," Caitlin apologized to Ronnie. "I'll be right back." Caitlin stormed out of the restaurant, her face bewildered at the sight of Barry Allen and his ridiculous display of rage. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

"Me? You want to know what's wrong with me?" Barry spat, pain in his voice as he sat up on the concrete.

"For starters, yes." Caitlin answered, her eyes blinking widely.

"What's wrong with me is that you haven't even spoken to me for nearly a year, Cait! I've tried apologizing, I've sent flowers to you, called you, text you. I've done everything I possibly could to get your attention! And you haven't bothered once, Cait. All I wanted was one thing from you and you couldn't give me that." He rose from the ground slowly, eyes beginning to water.

"So you fight with Ronnie?" She was quick to question, her own eyes tearing up. "Classy, Barry. Very classy." She shot back.

"If you wanted to hurt me, congratulations, Cait, you have." Barry sarcastically clapped his hands a few times.

Caitlin's tears trailed down her cheeks. "How dare you, Barry. How _dare_ you." She shook her head. "You know what? I'm not doing this with you. I'm not." She tried to walk back into the restaurant.

Barry called out to her, "Why not? It's been long enough. What do you have to tell me?"

"You may be mad at me but that doesn't give you the right to punch out one of my colleagues." Caitlin explained, turning back to face him.

"That's what that was? A friendly little dinner? This was _our_ place, Cait! Me and you." Barry reminded her.

"Was is the key word, Barry." She shook her head, more tears streaming down her face. "Look at you! You're a _mess_!" She let out an exhale, her voice cracking. "You're not the man I remember, Barry. You're not the man that I—" She cut herself off.

"That what?"

"Nothing," Caitlin brushed it off. She didn't want to tell him those words, not like this. They had never said it and this wasn't the time to say it. "Barry, please listen to me when I say what I'm about to say." She pleaded, inhaling sharply.

Barry's ears perked up and he swallowed thickly, his own tears trickling down his cheeks. "What, Cait?"

She _hated_ that he called her Cait. She could crumble under that name alone, desperate enough she would have. Caitlin stood strong where she planted herself. "I don't want to _see_ you again. I don't want to _hear_ from you. I don't want to. So please, stop trying? Don't come back. Just leave me behind, Barry." Her voice trembled and was lower than it usually was, a serious note ringing behind her words.

Barry swallowed thick once again. He became silent, utterly crushed by her statement. Biting his lip, he took a step away from Caitlin and then another. Without another thought, Barry spun on his heel and began to jog until he full on ran. He ran and ran until his legs couldn't hold him any longer, his breathing shallow and hard; uneven inhaling and exhaling wracked his lungs. Grasping onto the back of his head, he groaned in frustration and brought one of his fists crashing down into the brick wall of an alleyway. What _was_ his problem? Why had he attacked Ronnie without asking questions first?

He brought a stray hand to his face, wiping it. "Jeez," He breathed out. "I need to get my act together."

After getting home, the first thing Barry did was go straight to his bathroom. He placed his hands on either side of the sink, staring at himself in the mirror. He gave himself a stern look and without another thought, he grasped a razor and shaving cream. He needed to clean up his act, clean himself up. He lathered shaving cream over his beard, making sure he got each crevice of his cheeks. Raising the razor to his face, Barry began to shave away the hair, rinsing the razor in the sink when necessary. Once his face was clean again, he peered at himself deeper. It was a sight he hadn't seen for a long time but somehow, it made him feel better. He shut off the sink and tossed the razor in the trash can. Pumping out some lotion, he smoothed it across his face, moisturizing every inch of his skin.


	7. Chapter 7

**_PRESENT ONE MONTH LATER_**

Caitlin was out dress shopping with Felicity and Iris. The three women bounced in step, in tow with each other each step of the way as they waltzed down the street. Caitlin's arms were linked with each woman, one on each side. "I'm so glad you guys are coming with me. I couldn't do this alone." She expressed with a kindness.

"I'm glad you invited me. I was getting the run around at work about fixing the security in our network at the main office." Felicity explained, looking to Caitlin. She worked for a large corporation, monitoring potential breaches in the city's networks. She also worked on the side as a hacker for the city's police department.

Iris nodded her head. "I could use a break too. After chasing bad guys for stories, I got stuck doing the sports section."

The other two women cringed.

"I'm sorry, Iris." Felicity told her, an apologetic look crossing her face.

"It's no biggie. At least it makes Eddie feel better. He doesn't have to worry about me as much." She laughed gently.

They hurried into the bridal store, walking in as the door chimed. An eager elderly woman approached them, her figure small and petite, her skin olive, gray locks pulled into a loose ponytail. "Welcome, ladies." She greeted the three. "Who's the lucky bride?"

Caitlin raised her hand slightly, sheepish in nature.

"Oh, you are beautiful, darling. Come, let's pick out some dresses for you to try on." She promptly grabbed hold of Caitlin's arm and strolled her away from her friends. Caitlin gave them a small wave.

In moments, she returned, spinning in one of the dresses the elderly woman had picked out for her. The gown wasn't exactly what she pictured herself in but she wanted second opinions from her friends. "What do you think?"

"Ooh, I love the lace." Felicity flashed a smile in awe, admiring the dress.

"Me too, but the veil is a little much." Iris spoke up.

After proceeding to the back, Caitlin emerged in another dress, spinning once more. This went on for hours it seemed, and each woman had a different opinion on what looked good and what was over the top. Finally, Caitlin had picked the last dress she wanted to try on. As she exited the fitting room and arrived back to her friends, both of their eyes widened in surprise. They looked to each other and then back at Caitlin, admiring the caramel haired woman before they took the time to enjoy the dress.

"This one. This is perfect." Iris gleamed.

Felicity nodded her head rapidly. "Oh, you look so adorable, Caitlin!" She almost squealed in delight.

"You really think so?" Caitlin asked, her cheeks flushing a rosy color. "I like this one. I really do."

"Get it. It really suits you."

Caitlin spun to face the mirror and each of her friends stood on either side of her, grinning and smiling joyously. They began to chant, "Get it! Get it!" In a playful manner, of course.

Nodding her head, Caitlin turned to embrace both women. She had decided this was the best dress out of the bunch.

* * *

Returning to the loft, Caitlin popped open the door and crossed into the living room. "I'm home!" She called out.

"In here." Barry responded.

She walked over and began to peek her head into the office. "What are you up to?" She questioned, curiosity burning in her eyes.

"Just work stuff." He told her.

Caitlin walked over to him and glanced down at the files he was looking over. "Another robbery?"

"Another robbery," He confirmed. "The ballistic pattern is the same as the weapon used at the last heist. I'm pretty certain we're dealing with the same criminal, or should I say, criminals, plural." He had analyzed the residue left behind by the guns and the shell casings that were left at the crime scenes. Each shell matched a certain handgun, the same used for each robbery. However, there were too many shells and he came to the conclusion that there were at least two people.

"Do you want me to take a second look?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No. I'm pretty sure I've got this. Based on the tire marks left at the scene, we're looking for a Dodge Caravan. Again, the same marks were left at the last scene. There's hundreds of them in the city so pinning down the one car at each scene is going to be tough without another lead to go on like a license plate number or the color and model of the car."

"So, someone's using a family car to commit robberies? It sounds like you're going to need a lot more help on this one." She agreed, placing a firm hand upon his shoulder.

Barry sat at a desk, reading over the material he'd probably already read over a hundred times. "I'm also working the serial killer case. I've been analyzing the DNA from the last scene, trying to confirm the victim's identity." He plopped down a second file.

Caitlin's hand squeezed his shoulder. Barry took his own free hand and placed it atop hers. "It's going to be a long night," Caitlin placed a kiss on his cheek. "I'll let you work."

"I'll be out in a little while." He promised. "I just have to call Joe about my findings."

Nodding her head, Caitlin's long locks flowed with the movement. "I'll make dinner." She left the room and headed for the kitchen. Knowing Barry had a long day, she figured she'd make one of his favorite dishes: beef stew. Grasping the bag of potatoes from the fridge, she laid them onto the counter. Caitlin also collected the carrots and the chopped beef she had let defrost overnight in the fridge. Reaching into a cupboard, she grasped the beef broth.

She collected the necessary utensils; a wooden spoon, a skillet, a larger pot and a slotted spoon. Spraying non-stick spray to the skillet, she flicked the burner on and placed the skillet onto the stove top. The brunette opened the pack of beef and scooped the pieces out with the wooden spoon. As they cooked, the aroma of the beef began to waft through the loft. Once they were finished, she placed them in the large pot. She poured the beef broth into the pot and then began to work on peeling the potatoes.

Barry finally emerged from the office and walked into the kitchen. "Mmm, smells good already." He commented. "What are you making?"

"Beef stew." Caitlin responded.

The other brunette walked over and rummaged through a drawer to grab the second potato peeler. He walked over and picked up a potato and began peeling it, helping Caitlin with the work of cooking. "My favorite."

After the potatoes were peeled, Caitlin began to cut them into large slices while Barry worked on peeling and cutting the carrots. Once all the veggies were cut up, the pair plopped them into the pot with the beef and broth. Caitlin allowed the broth to come to a light boil before she stirred in some seasonings and then turned down the temperature. She placed a lid on the pot, allowing the food to simmer. "It should be done in about a half hour." She told her fiancé.

"Did I mention I love you?"

"Once or twice." Caitlin joked.

"I'll mention it a third time then." Barry's eyes glittered in her direction.

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

Writing out his check, Barry gave it to the bank teller so he could deposit and withdraw some cash from his bank account. Humming quietly, he minded his own business as the bank teller placed the check away and began counting the bills he withdrew from the dispenser. Barry was feeling good, not perfect but he was getting back on track to the man he'd wanted to be – the man he used to be. He was going into work early, doing everything he was told to do, and accompanying friends for lunches or dinners with a positive attitude. He had tried to leave _that_ Barry behind. The brunette hadn't heard once from Caitlin but that was to be expected after his display of anger a few months prior. Once the teller handed him his money, Barry swiftly placed it in his wallet.

Before he could take his leave, three armed men waltzed into the bank; two of them shooting hand guns into the air. A shrill sound like rockets went off, filling the interior of the building before people began shouting and screaming in all different directions. It was a heist and Barry was right in the middle of it. Panic sunk into his bones, worry that someone might get hurt. He quickly hid behind a countertop, kneeling down to the ground.

"We just want your money and your jewelry. Quickly, people, quickly." One of the men said, his voice husky. One of the lanky men brought a pillow case towards the crowd, opening it so that people could start to put their belongings in the item. The third scrawny man approached one of the tellers, pointing a gun directly at them while he insisted on withdrawing all the cash the teller had on them. "Don't think about pressing a silent alarm or somebody's gonna die."

Barry swallowed thickly. Once the armed man came up to him with the pillow case, he hastily withdrew his wallet. Tossing it into the pillow case, the brunette eyed the suspect. "This is all I have."

"Your watch," The nasally man stated, looking down at the object.

The scientist fumbled to take off his watch. He tossed it in afterwards, watching the man walk away and join the other male who was at the teller's window. Barry couldn't take it any longer. He wanted to reach out to one of the men and try and reason with them. "Why are you doing this?" Barry questioned, raising his arms to show he meant no harm.

"It's none of your business." The husky male quickly said.

"There's got to be a reason." Barry stated, glancing between all three males. "It doesn't have to be this way." He told them. "You can get what you need by other means."

"Sorry, kid. This is the only way."

The lead male shot his gun up into the air, causing Barry to flinch. "No more talking! Let's just get this over with!" He demanded.

Barry took note of his tattoo on the side of his neck. It looked like a winding snake was hiding underneath the mask. "It's not really necessary to keep scaring us. You already got what you wanted. Everything we have on us." He motioned towards the pillow case.

"Kid, you've got a lot of nerve." The husky male aimed right at Barry.

The scientist shook his head. "No, you do." Before he could speak again a deafening bang sounded and Barry crumpled to the floor, faintly hearing a scream from a female, he assumed in horror. Blinking slowly, his world began to grow dark; an incessant buzzing sound took over his eardrums until his eyes finally closed.


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: I'm going to be posting chapters eight and nine today. I'm currently working on chapter twelve so I just wanted to make a double post since I may not be able to update for a couple of days. Thanks for all the feedback regarding this story! I really appreciate it. This story will probably be somewhere between fifteen to twenty chapters long. I'm not quite positive yet as I usually just go with the flow and whatever comes to my mind. But, I feel like it will be around that length. Anyways, as always, I hope you enjoy._

* * *

 ** _FLASHBACK_**

Caitlin had been working with a new concoction, intently focused on the liquids in each glass vial. She put a small dab of each on a tiny square of glass. Placing the glass under the microscope, she examined each piece, noting her findings with each liquid. So immersed in her work, Caitlin hadn't noticed Cisco or Dr. Wells talking to Joe right outside her quaint part of the laboratory. When she looked up, she saw the grimace on Cisco's face, the worry on Dr. Wells. The brunette found it odd that Joe West would be visiting S.T.A.R Labs. It wasn't his place except for when the CCPD wanted a little help resolving chemical crime scenes and had insufficient equipment to utilize.

All three of their faces were painted with a worry, Joe's especially. Tilting her head a fraction, Caitlin's brows elevated and knitted together. "What's the problem?"

Neither of them said a word at first. Joe looked past Cisco and directly at Caitlin. "It's Barry."

Her mouth dried and she suddenly swallowed thickly. Why would Joe come to S.T.A.R Labs regarding Barry? She was certain everyone immediately involved with either of the couple knew they were no longer dating; that included Joe West. He had to have heard it through the grapevine, either from Barry or Iris. "Well, what is it?" Curiously, she cursed at herself in the back of her mind.

"He's been shot." Joe informed the brunette.

* * *

Hesitantly, Caitlin remained outside the hospital room where Barry was being taken care of. Taking a tiny step towards the looming door, she extended a palm but quickly retracted it. She hadn't spoken to Barry since the night he'd confronted her and Ronnie at the Italian restaurant and as she recollected her memory, it had been at least four months. It had been over a year since they split up, a year since she'd been familiar with anything regarding Barry Allen. Tears burned at her eyes from the thought, worse, from the thought of Barry being injured. Joe had filled her in on his condition while he drove her to the hospital. Glancing over, Joe remained in the hallway and nodded his head towards the door, indicating that Caitlin should enter the room.

Biting her lower lip, Caitlin quietly pushed open the door and peered inside. Barry was hooked up to an IV and to other equipment that kept track of his heart rate and rhythm, his vitals like his blood pressure and other important indicators. She gazed down at him, choking back a small sob. Her lip quivered at the sight of Barry lying in a hospital bed. Silently, she moved over to take a seat next to him. Reaching out timidly, she took his hand into both her hands, her thumb gently stroking the back of his hand. She wasn't sure if he could feel it or if he would wake from the sensation.

It didn't take long for Barry's eyes to flutter open. He expected to see Iris but as he looked over, he was surprised to see Caitlin. His eyebrows elevated marginally, his emerald tired eyes blinking slowly. She still looked as beautiful as he remembered and he had to wonder if it was a vision, a dream, or if Caitlin Snow was really sitting in his hospital room. Once the sensations of her fingertips caught his arm ablaze, he knew she was real. "I didn't expect to see you here." Barry breathed out.

Caitlin's lips pressed into a thin line while she blinked away the prickling tears. "I didn't expect you to be here." She admitted, meekly.

"Why are you here?"

"Joe." She simply responded. "He told me what happened."

"Oh," Barry's voice was small, grogginess filling his tone.

"What were you thinking, Barry?" She pressed gently, her voice low and gentle.

"I had to do something." He replied, taking a long inhale.

"So why'd you feel the need to play hero?"

"It's simple, Caitlin. I didn't want anyone else to get hurt."

"So you stuck your own neck out?" She couldn't always understand his logic. However, she understood his good heart.

"Always." He answered, shaking his head slightly.

"I'm glad you're okay." Caitlin honestly told him, her voice still soft. Even though they had long since seen each other, she couldn't imagine a life where Barry didn't exist. The thought startled Caitlin, caused her heart to ache.

"You're really here." Barry piped up, looking at her with a hopeful gaze.

"I'm here." She promised him.

"If it took me getting shot for you to come around, I would have gotten shot sooner," His voice cracked with the joke; he offered her a tired grin.

"That's not funny." Caitlin's lips pressed thinly again. "I wanted—there were so many times I wanted to see you, Barry; to just hear your voice. _So_ many times." She let a sad smile spread across her face while a solitary tear dripped down her cheek. "I just didn't know what to say or how to say it. I know I told you I didn't want to see you again but that couldn't have been further from the truth." She continued, "I still wanted everything, Barry. I just didn't know how to approach you anymore. You had changed."

"I know," Barry admitted, looking downward at their hands.

"But that didn't mean that it wasn't hard for me because it was. It was terrifying at first, living a life without you in it." Caitlin finished, honesty striking her words.

Barry's hand squeezed hers a fraction. "I'm sorry," He apologized, sincere with his groggy voice.

Caitlin rose from her seat, leaned in and brought a hand to his face. Gingerly, she moved over and pressed a gentle kiss onto his cheek. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For not dying on me," Caitlin answered. Her eyes glanced to the wound on his chest, her heart plummeting into her stomach.

Barry simply grinned.

The woman looked down to her lap, trying to blink away her tears. "I was wrong, Barry."

"Wrong about what?"

"About everything." Caitlin stated. "I jumped to conclusions and fought with you over something so.. trivial." She shook her head, raising her eyes to they could meet his. "It wasn't supposed to be like that between us and yet it was."

"Hey, it's okay—"

"—No. It's really not." She interrupted. "You had every right to be angry with me. I didn't give you a chance to mend things between us. I think if something happened to you, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for the pain I must have put you through." She continued, "I care about you, Barry. But, I didn't care enough to admit that I was the one who was wrong."

Barry's lips curved into a frown.

"I'm sorry for that."

His chest hurt, not from the bullet wound but from the pain resonating within his core. The brunette wiped a stray tear from his eye, realizing how long he'd really suffered without an answer from Caitlin. However, he wanted to work it out with her, he wanted things to get better between them, even if they took a while. "I forgive you, Cait."

* * *

It took time but slowly, Barry began to come around S.T.A.R Labs once again, meeting with Caitlin from time-to-time for lunch. As he recovered from his injury, Caitlin was tentative to his needs, often checking his vitals or his mobility and fine motor skills. She was sure he had suffered some trauma from the situation he had been it but Barry denied it every time she brought it up. However, it was good to be in each other's presence once again and both of them relished in the time they shared. Caitlin remained somewhat hesitant but Barry began to show her his softer side once more, the side of him that didn't involve beating up her colleague, the side that wasn't so desperate to get back together. As time progressed, the two were mending their relationship, becoming friends once again.

Caitlin walked up the stairs towards Barry's lab at the Central City Police Department. She knocked on the door frame, offering him a tiny grin. Holding a vial in her hand, she waved it gently. "Cisco wanted me to bring you this. He figured you could run some test, see if there was something he missed." The brunette explained.

The forensic scientist accepted the vial. "Sure, what is it?"

"Some sort of chemical found at a recent spill. He wanted you to double check the substance for any remaining unknown matter. I don't exactly know what he was rambling about. He just asked me to bring this to you." She was making an excuse to see him but Barry wouldn't know that.

"Okay, no problem." Barry's eyes remained on the vial.

"So.." She trailed off. She had caught his attention and then continued, "I was thinking about where we should eat lunch next."

"Oh yeah?" Curious, his eyebrows elevated gently.

"I was thinking… maybe we could go to that little Italian place that we used to frequent." She was ready to face her biggest fear, visiting a familiar place with Barry; a place where she'd fallen in love with him.

"That'd be great." Barry nodded his head, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Okay," Caitlin got a nervous smile upon her face.

"I mean, I'd, uh, I'd really like that. They had the best spaghetti anywhere in the city." Barry recalled.

She laughed softly. "They did." She remembered it was Barry's favorite dish at the restaurant.

"And that baked ziti. Or, remember the garlic bread?" He could almost taste it in his mouth, recalling how it melted on his tongue. Looking over to Caitlin he could read that she was nervous, it showed in her posture. He shook it away and allowed his eyes to wash into hers. "I mean, it would be great to go back there."

Nodding her head, Caitlin agreed, "So, I'll see you Friday?"

"Definitely." He said, his voice an octave lower.

Taking her leave, Caitlin turned her back to her ex-boyfriend and began to walk away. Barry simply watched her go, inwardly screaming with delight. He couldn't help but bask in every small moment they shared, despite them only being friends. He was happy their relationship was slowly mending to a comfortable place where they both felt safe. He knew Caitlin still kept her guard up around him, he could see it in her chestnut orbs; in the way her posture was rigid around him at times. Barry kept his cool though, trying everything in his power not to become a rambling mess around her.

* * *

Passing the garlic bread to Caitlin, Barry took his piece to his mouth and bit into the buttery bread. He groaned at the taste, quickly nodding his head. "This is great."

Caitlin grasped hold of a piece of bread and followed Barry, taking a bite out of it before she chewed it around in her mouth. The hint of garlic was just enough to be there without being overpowering or underwhelming. She took another simple bite. "It is good." She agreed.

Once the waiter brought out their plates and placed them before each individual, Barry wasted no time in grasping his fork and twirling it into the spaghetti noodles. Caitlin took a gradual bite of her ziti, savoring the taste and the flavors. She always wanted to make this dish at home but could never get the spices quite like the restaurants.

Her eyes swung up to the other brunette, watching him as he enjoyed the pasta. This caused her to quirk a smile onto her face, basking in the happiness of Barry. She always tried to take in their moments, burn them into her mind while forgetting the bad times.

"We've been seeing a lot of each other." Barry finally just put it out there before reaching for his glass. Taking a small swig of his water, he peered across the table at her.

"That we have." Caitlin responded, taking another bite of her food.

"Are you okay with this? Are you comfortable?" Barry questioned. "I just—I don't want to overstep any boundaries." It was Caitlin, after all, who had severed their ties to one another.

Caitlin's mouth dried and in response, she took a drink from her water before she spoke, "I'm fine," She reassured him. "It just feels like it's new again. Does that make sense?"

This prompted Barry to nod. "I agree. It does feel like that." He paused. "But are you uncomfortable?"

"A little." She honestly admitted. "Not uncomfortable in a bad way necessarily. It's just been a while since we've… _connected_ like this." Caitlin finished, hoping he understood.

"I get it. I do." Barry placed his napkin down onto the table after wiping his face. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable in any sense though. I just want it to feel.." He trailed off. "Natural." He added after a pause, his lips pressing together.

She stared deeply into his eyes, tracing them with her own. Timidly, she reached across the table and placed her hand in the center of it, her palm facing upwards. Barry carefully raised his own hand, placing it into hers. He gave a comforting squeeze to her hand, the contact they shared began to warm up his palm; trailing up his arm to his chest. Barry gave another squeeze to her hand before retracting his, sage hues tracing her every look upon her face.


	9. Chapter 9

**_FLASHBACK_**

"Where are we going?" Caitlin quietly laughed as Barry tugged at her arm before releasing her.

"To the nearest grocery store." He looked back at Cait.

They had been talking about their favorite vacationing spots over lunch and when they both brought up the beach, Barry explained how he used to make s'mores with his parents and Joe and Iris. Once Caitlin admitted to never eating a s'more before, Barry began exaggerating about how they tasted and insisted that they find a way to make a s'more without a fire or a beach. "How are we going to do this?" She tried to keep up with him.

"First, we need to buy the graham crackers, the marshmallows and the chocolate. Then, we'll go to my place and we'll make them on the stove. I'll show you." Barry spun on his heel, walking backwards as he spoke to the other brunette.

Caitlin pressed her lips together finely. "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive." Barry insisted, smiling in her direction. As they came upon the store, Barry walked through the sliding doors and Caitlin followed right behind his heels. The forensic scientist grabbed a basket and carried it with his hand. Peering up at the isles, Barry found the candy isle. Scanning the candy with his eyes, he pulled out a couple of large bars of chocolate and placed them into the basket.

"You really want to do this." Caitlin glanced up at him.

"Yep." Barry hastily made his way towards the baking isle. He picked up the largest marshmallows available before exiting the isle. "The fluffy ones." He smiled widely, waving the bag at Caitlin.

They both made their way towards the cracker isle and as they came upon the graham crackers, Caitlin reached out at the same time as Barry, her hand brushing his. Retracting her hand, she gave him a sheepish grin, her cheeks gently flushing. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Barry let her know, grasping hold of the box of crackers. "There we go." He placed it in the basket. "We got everything." Excitement spun in his voice. He nodded towards the end of the isle, "Let's go check out."

* * *

As they climbed up the stairs towards his home, Barry honestly couldn't remember the last time Caitlin had come over and had a good time. Inwardly, he was delighted but also a nervous wreck. What did this mean to their growing friendship? He really didn't want to cross a boundary but he also really wanted the other brunette to enjoy a s'more for the first time. Unlocking the front door, Barry allowed Caitlin to step inside the apartment first.

Caitlin took in the old familiar sights of the apartment. Not much had changed since she'd last step foot inside. He had rearranged the furniture but that was it. It caused her heart to sink slowly into the pit of her stomach. She swallowed a firm lump down her throat before she spun to face Barry, trying to let the memories escape to the back of her mind. "Why don't we make those s'mores?" She suggested.

Barry shut the door of the home and brought the paper bag with the ingredients to the counter top near the stove. He rummaged through the drawers and pulled out a large fork. Barry took the items out of the bag and placed them all atop the counter before ripping into the bag of marshmallows. He pried open the chocolate wrapper and also popped open the box of graham crackers. Pulling out the crackers, he opened the wrapper and took out a long cracker before snapping it in half.

Caitlin placed her purse down near the couch before she had followed him into the kitchen. She leaned against one of the other counters. "How do you plan on doing this exactly?"

"It's pretty easy." Barry flicked on the gas stove top, igniting a small blue flame with the flick of a knob. He took a fluffy marshmallow and popped it into his mouth. While chewing it around, he continued, "We'll toast the marshmallows over the stove top and place the chocolate and graham crackers together."

A soft smile painted across Caitlin's face. "That sounds good."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She confirmed.

Barry pierced a marshmallow with the fork and carefully brought it over the burner, allowing the flame to lick at the marshmallow. "Do you mind helping?"

"Not at all."

"Can you get the chocolate and cookies ready?" Barry wondered, looking over to her.

The woman nodded her head, her curls flowing with the movement. She reached for the broken cookie Barry had snapped in half and looked through the cabinets for a small plate. Placing the crackers on the plate, Caitlin unwrapped some of the chocolate bar and took a piece of it, placing it atop one of the crackers.

Barry could see the marshmallow browning and slightly melting. He withdrew it from the flame and brought the hot food to the other cracker on the plate. He placed the fork down and picked up both sides of the s'more, pressing them together. "Here, you try it first." He insisted, handing her the plate.

Caitlin grasped the plate. "Are you sure?"

"Yep." Barry plucked up a new marshmallow and pierced it with the fork once again. He brought it to the small flame on the stove.

Caitlin stared down at the gooey treat before she picked up the s'more with one hand. Raising her eyes to Barry, she bit into the treat. The melted marshmallow was _amazing_ , complementing the rich chocolate and the lightly sugared crackers. "Mmm," She hummed. Chewing around the piece she'd broken off, she shook her head before peering down at the treat. "I was definitely missing something all these years."

Barry laughed, "Told ya."

They had made a handful of s'mores and they sat upon the kitchen floor, talking and conversing together for the last two hours. Caitlin beamed at Barry from where they sat, her legs crossed. "Remember when Cisco fell flat on his face?"

"When I came to ask you out to dinner for the first time?" He began chuckling, biting into the other half of his s'more.

"Yes!" Caitlin laughed, recalling the memory of her colleague as he tripped over his own feet.

They were down to the very last s'more. "You take it."

"No, you can have it." The doctor shook her head.

"Split it?"

"Why not?"

Barry's smile brightened and he broke the s'more in half. "Here," he handed it to Caitlin.

Caitlin accepted the other half and took a bite from it. After finishing it, she turned to face Barry.

"You got a little on your face." Barry motioned towards the side of his lip.

Caitlin tried to wipe it off.

The other brunette chuckled. He grasped a paper towel and leaned in towards Caitlin, brushing off the chocolate from her lip. "There."

Caitlin retracted herself after he'd wiped her face clean. She looked towards the floor. "I should probably get going." She decided, rising to her feet.

"Oh," Barry breathed out. "Sure, yeah. No problem." He rose from the kitchen floor too and walked her to the door. "It was nice seeing you again."

"You too," Caitlin agreed and with one last look, she hastily left.

* * *

A few nights had come and gone since Barry had last had lunch with Caitlin. Worry had seeped into the back of his mind, she hadn't contacted him since. They had a small ritual it seemed; they'd eat lunch and Caitlin would call him on Sunday to schedule plans for the next week. She didn't call and Barry wondered why. He paced around his apartment, wondering if he should make a move and reach out to her this time. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he looked through his contacts and scrolled until he reached her name. For some reason, he hesitated to press the call button and tossed his phone onto the sofa.

Groaning, he took a seat next to his phone, eyeing it in hopes that it would ring. Barry waited and waited. Nothing. Finally mustering up the courage, he took his phone and dialed her number. The line rang repeatedly, she didn't answer. It finally went to voicemail and he shut his eyes while he tried to collect himself and figure out just what he was about to say.

"Hey, Cait. It's me. I just—I was waiting for you to call and you didn't yet. I figured I'd touch base with you and see how you were or what you were thinking of doing this week. Uh, I guess just – just let me know, okay? I'll uh, I'll talk to you soon, I guess." He hung up and scolded himself for slightly stumbling over his words.

* * *

Another week passed and Barry was getting restless. He didn't want to push or pry, so he did what was best for both of them and gave Caitlin her space. Flipping through the channels on his television, he tried to keep himself busy and distracted so that he wouldn't think about it too much. It was beginning to eat at his sanity, causing him to feel anxious and stressed. He heaved out a sigh, his chest falling completely with his exhale. When he thought he couldn't get any more lost in thought, a soft knock fell upon his front door. He got up and crossed through the room, opening the door slowly. Eyebrows elevated at the sight of Caitlin, her face draped with worry and her eyes watery.

"Hey," Barry greeted gently. "What's the matter?"

Caitlin's arms were crossed against her chest, she kept herself guarded. "Hi," She meekly replied.

"You haven't called. Is everything alright?"

She rapidly shook her head. "I'm sorry I haven't called. I just came over because—because there's something I should tell you."

Barry leaned against the door. "Why don't you come inside?" Concern masked his face.

"No, no." She placed a palm out, waving it gently. "I shouldn't."

"Okay?" Confusion laced his voice. "What did you need to tell me?" He couldn't understand what Caitlin was so shaken up about. He thought they were mending their relationship; that they were friends again. "You can tell me anything." Barry reminded her.

Caitlin's lip trembled, a tear trickling down her face. "I haven't been completely honest with you."

Barry's brows knitted together. He reached to wipe the tear off her face but Caitlin took a step backwards. "What do you mean?" Barry's heart sunk a little as it was the second time she'd retracted from him within the last two weeks. Scolding himself, he realized that maybe touching her was off limits.

"I—I.." Caitlin stammered. "I've been—I've seen Ronnie on and off." Caitlin revealed, another tear streamed down her cheek. She was quick to wipe it away, her eyes red and puffy, indicating she'd been crying for a while.

Barry swallowed thickly; he tore his gaze from her. His hopes were beginning to crumble. "Oh."

"We're friends, right? At least, that's what I've started thinking we've become again." Caitlin continued to speak.

"Yeah, we're friends." Barry's voice was small, almost a whisper before he returned his gaze to the other brunette.

"I needed to come clean about it. But you were right. That night at the restaurant wasn't just a friendly meal, it was a date. Our first date, actually." Caitlin spilled, her voice quivered.

Barry's eyes began to feel moist and he could feel anger beginning to invade his bones. He felt sick to his stomach but he retained his calm exterior. "You couldn't tell me that sooner?"

"I wanted to, Barry. I did." Caitlin tried.

"I think I've heard enough." Barry was about to shut the door, disappointed in Caitlin.

"Wait." She prompted, reaching out a palm to the front door. "There's something else you should know."

"What is it?" He figured it couldn't get any worse than it had.

"I slept with him." Caitlin confessed. "It only happened once but I—"

Barry's eyes widened. Stunned, he took a step backwards, widening the space between them. Tilting his head, the tears threatening to spill finally welled in his eyes. "That's not really any of my business." Barry's voice was cold now, something it usually wasn't around Caitlin.

Caitlin sobbed, looking down towards her feet. "I'm so sorry, Barry." She tried.

"I'm—I – I don't know what to say to you right now, Caitlin. I think its best if you – if you leave." The male said, disbelief washing over his face. His heart plummeted and he could feel it breaking once again as he looked off to the side.

Caitlin covered her mouth as tears continued to stream down her face. She turned on her heel and began hurrying down the steps.

Barry listened as her footsteps hurried away and she rounded the corner. Slamming his door shut, Barry pressed his back firmly into the wooden surface before slumping down to the floor. Hanging his head down, he began to cry. He brought a solitary hand to his face, tears sliding down his cheeks effortlessly. What would this mean for them now? He knew something was up that night but he also knew he was wrong for punching Ronnie. Still, Caitlin hadn't revealed her secret until now? How was he to forgive her or to move on? A part of Barry still yearned for Caitlin but at the same time, he wanted nothing to do with her after her revelation.


End file.
